graduate programs in biology research

Biology Graduate Programs in America

1-25 of 396 results

MIT School of Science

Cambridge, MA •

Massachusetts Institute of Technology •

Graduate School

Massachusetts Institute of Technology ,

Graduate School ,

CAMBRIDGE, MA ,

Stanford University Department of Humanities and Sciences

Stanford, CA •

Stanford University •

Stanford University ,

STANFORD, CA ,

Stanford University School of Medicine

• • Rating 5 out of 5   3 reviews

Doctoral Student: I begin in the Fall of 2023--Based on my interview, and pre-classes I have taken this program is amazing. It is very student-centered. ... Read 3 reviews

3 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Doctoral Student says I begin in the Fall of 2023--Based on my interview, and pre-classes I have taken this program is amazing. It is very student-centered. .

Read 3 reviews.

Lehigh University

Graduate School •

BETHLEHEM, PA

• • Rating 4.42 out of 5   19

University of Illinois Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, IL

• • Rating 4.29 out of 5   31

San Francisco Bay University

FREMONT, CA

• • Rating 3 out of 5   2

Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Harvard University •

• • Rating 4.56 out of 5   9 reviews

Other: I am Harvard Extension School student pursuing a master degree, ALM, in sustainability. I have achieved a 3.89 in this program so far and have qualified, applied, and accepted as a 'Special Student' in the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Through this School, I will be focusing my time at the John A. Paulson school of Engineering & Applied Sciences. Looking forward to wrapping up my final year on campus! ... Read 9 reviews

Harvard University ,

9 Niche users give it an average review of 4.6 stars.

Featured Review: Other says I am Harvard Extension School student pursuing a master degree, ALM, in sustainability. I have achieved a 3.89 in this program so far and have qualified, applied, and accepted as a 'Special Student'... .

Read 9 reviews.

Harvard Medical School

Boston, MA •

• • Rating 4.94 out of 5   16 reviews

Other: Harvard is my dream school. Next year I will graduate the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences. Then I will applying to Harvard Medical School. If I accepted by this school, I will try my best of the best….. ... Read 16 reviews

BOSTON, MA ,

16 Niche users give it an average review of 4.9 stars.

Featured Review: Other says Harvard is my dream school. Next year I will graduate the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences. Then I will applying to Harvard Medical School. If I accepted by this school, I will try... .

Read 16 reviews.

Duke University School of Medicine

Durham, NC •

Duke University •

• • Rating 4.76 out of 5   17 reviews

Doctoral Student: Professors are incredible, always willing to go the extra mile to help students succeed. Curriculum is designed to prepare students to be successful therapists. This program is truly incredible. ... Read 17 reviews

Duke University ,

DURHAM, NC ,

17 Niche users give it an average review of 4.8 stars.

Featured Review: Doctoral Student says Professors are incredible, always willing to go the extra mile to help students succeed. Curriculum is designed to prepare students to be successful therapists. This program is truly incredible. .

Read 17 reviews.

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Brown University Graduate School

Providence, RI •

Brown University •

Brown University ,

PROVIDENCE, RI ,

School of Arts & Sciences - University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA •

University of Pennsylvania •

University of Pennsylvania ,

PHILADELPHIA, PA ,

Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences

Evanston, IL •

Northwestern University •

Northwestern University ,

EVANSTON, IL ,

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Nashville, TN •

Vanderbilt University •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   2 reviews

Graduate Student: Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. Loved my experience! Great teachers, easy to access, clear cut goals in class, great clinical experiences. ... Read 2 reviews

Vanderbilt University ,

NASHVILLE, TN ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Graduate Student says Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. Loved my experience! Great teachers, easy to access, clear cut goals in class, great clinical experiences. .

Read 2 reviews.

Washington University in St. Louis - Arts & Sciences

St. Louis, MO •

Washington University in St. Louis •

Washington University in St. Louis ,

ST. LOUIS, MO ,

Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies

Hanover, NH •

Dartmouth College •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   1 review

Alum: I had a beautiful life-changing experience at the grand Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies. The Guarini graduate program MALS created so many beautiful opportunities in interdisciplinary learning. Guarini is well integrated within the College, which provides a unique world-class learning experience. Guarini went beyond my expectations and made this experience the best I had and will ever have in my life. The only thing I would like changed is having a GRAD diploma in Latin instead of English to keep up with College tradition. ... Read 1 review

Dartmouth College ,

HANOVER, NH ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says I had a beautiful life-changing experience at the grand Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies. The Guarini graduate program MALS created so many beautiful opportunities in interdisciplinary... .

Read 1 reviews.

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• Biostatistics Graduate Programs
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Division of Biology and Biological Engineering - California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA •

California Institute of Technology •

California Institute of Technology ,

PASADENA, CA ,

College of Science - University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN •

University of Notre Dame •

University of Notre Dame ,

NOTRE DAME, IN ,

Biological Sciences Division - University of Chicago

Chicago, IL •

University of Chicago •

• • Rating 4 out of 5   1 review

Master's Student: So far so good. Nothing out of the ordinary. Professors are knowledgeable. I would say to ensure that you know your interests and work closely with the advisors to pick suitable classes. ... Read 1 review

University of Chicago ,

CHICAGO, IL ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says So far so good. Nothing out of the ordinary. Professors are knowledgeable. I would say to ensure that you know your interests and work closely with the advisors to pick suitable classes. .

Pritzker School of Medicine

Dornsife college of letters, arts and sciences.

Los Angeles, CA •

University of Southern California •

University of Southern California ,

LOS ANGELES, CA ,

Cornell University College of Arts & Sciences

Ithaca, NY •

Cornell University •

Cornell University ,

ITHACA, NY ,

Georgetown University School of Medicine

Nw Washington, DC •

Georgetown University •

• • Rating 4.75 out of 5   4 reviews

Doctoral Student: Compressed pre-clinical work. Administration has been working on finding better and better educators, as well as hiring more learning specialists for the student body. Could have more focus on Step 1 and Step 2 preparation. ... Read 4 reviews

Georgetown University ,

NW WASHINGTON, DC ,

4 Niche users give it an average review of 4.8 stars.

Featured Review: Doctoral Student says Compressed pre-clinical work. Administration has been working on finding better and better educators, as well as hiring more learning specialists for the student body. Could have more focus on Step 1... .

Read 4 reviews.

School of Arts and Sciences - Tufts University

Medford, MA •

Tufts University •

• • Rating 4 out of 5   4 reviews

Master's Student: My experience was mostly great! I felt supported by faculty and staff and became involved in student activities. It was just unfortunate that my on-campus experience was cut short due to the pandemic so I was not able to fully take advantage of all the program and graduate school had to offer. ... Read 4 reviews

Tufts University ,

MEDFORD, MA ,

4 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says My experience was mostly great! I felt supported by faculty and staff and became involved in student activities. It was just unfortunate that my on-campus experience was cut short due to the pandemic... .

UCLA College of Letters and Science

University of California - Los Angeles •

• • Rating 3 out of 5   1 review

University of California - Los Angeles ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 3 stars.

Krieger School of Arts & Sciences

Baltimore, MD •

Johns Hopkins University •

• • Rating 4.53 out of 5   19 reviews

Master's Student: I have yet to enroll for Fall 2023 after receiving my acceptance letter due to a delay in my need-based financial aid from JHU. However the Homewood Campus in Baltimore is beautiful and my Student Advisor, Alexis has been extremely helpful in initiating my enrollment process and answering all of my questions in a timely matter. My intended Advanced Academic Program is the accelerated (2 semester), dual-modality, 40-credit M.S. in Biotechnology, Biodefense concentration. All of the anticipated course subjects are diverse and there's even a customizable core lab course on campus (at least until Summer 2024). I can't wait and I wish you all the best in your search for academic programs or professional certifications. ... Read 19 reviews

Johns Hopkins University ,

BALTIMORE, MD ,

19 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I have yet to enroll for Fall 2023 after receiving my acceptance letter due to a delay in my need-based financial aid from JHU. However the Homewood Campus in Baltimore is beautiful and my Student... .

Read 19 reviews.

Mellon College of Science

Pittsburgh, PA •

Carnegie Mellon University •

Blue checkmark.

Carnegie Mellon University ,

PITTSBURGH, PA ,

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences - University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA •

University of Virginia •

Alum: Very good in some areas, excellent in other areas, many academic choices available in all areas of study ... Read 1 review

University of Virginia ,

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA ,

Featured Review: Alum says Very good in some areas, excellent in other areas, many academic choices available in all areas of study .

College of Sciences - Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA •

Georgia Institute of Technology •

Other: Georgia Tech is among the top colleges you can attend. My journey there had its highs and lows, but looking back, every experience contributed significantly to my growth. A piece of advice I'd offer to newcomers is to prioritize building friendships early on. One regret I have as I reflect on my year is not connecting with more people. I initially thought I should always work independently, but that was a misstep in my academic journey. Remember, it's essential to strike a balance between learning and having fun. ... Read 1 review

Georgia Institute of Technology ,

ATLANTA, GA ,

Featured Review: Other says Georgia Tech is among the top colleges you can attend. My journey there had its highs and lows, but looking back, every experience contributed significantly to my growth. A piece of advice I'd offer... .

San Francisco State University

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

• • Rating 4.19 out of 5   52

Mississippi State University

MISSISSIPPI STATE, MS

• • Rating 4.52 out of 5   50

Miami University

• • Rating 4.56 out of 5   25

Showing results 1 through 25 of 396

• Academics /

Biology Master’s Degree Program

Learn how to apply critical thinking to real-world scenarios in the life sciences while exploring cutting-edge research and theory.

Online Courses

11 courses (of 12 total courses)

On-Campus Experience

1 weekend or one 3-week course

$3,220 per course

Program Overview

Through the master’s degree in the field of biology you:

• Enhance your understanding of the biological sciences, including molecular biology, genetics, genomics, cell biology, physiology, neurobiology and behavior, evolution, and ecology.
• Build a foundation in scientific practice, including experimental or case study design and implementation, scientific data collection and analysis, and ethical practices.
• Develop advanced professional communication skills, with an emphasis on sharing scientific results in written, oral, and graphical forms.

Program Benefits

A faculty of life science instructors from Harvard University

Personalized academic and career advising

In-depth thesis experience with faculty advisor

Entrepreneurial opportunities through the Harvard Innovation Labs

Paid research options supporting faculty

Harvard Alumni Association membership upon graduation

Customizable Course Curriculum

Our curriculum is flexible in pace and customizable by design. You’ll experience the convenience of online learning and the immersive benefits of learning in person. You can study part time, choosing courses that fit your schedule and align with your professional goals.

As you work through the program, you’ll take courses in essential biology topics like genetics, neurobiology, biochemical engineering, and molecular biology.

11 Online Courses

• Synchronous and asynchronous formats
• Fall, spring, January, and summer options

You’ll complete 1 biology elective course in person, at an accelerated or standard pace:

• An online course with an intensive weekend on campus in fall or spring
• A 3-week summer session

You’ll complete a 9-month independent research project on a topic in biology in consultation with a thesis director.

The path to your degree begins before you apply to the program.

First, you’ll register for and complete 3 required courses, earning at least a B in each. These foundational courses are investments in your studies and count toward your degree, helping ensure success in the program.

Getting Started

We invite you to explore degree requirements, confirm your initial eligibility, and learn more about our unique “earn your way in” admissions process.

Our Community at a Glance

Students in the biology degree program are accomplished professionals who are pursuing the degree to continue their career advancement or prepare for further advanced study in biology. They work in a variety of fields, including education, research, and healthcare.

Download: Biology Master's Degree Fact Sheet

Average Age

Average Courses Taken Each Semester

Work Full Time

Would Recommend the Program

Professional Experience in the Field

Pursued for Career Advancement

Careers & Alumni Outcomes

Biology alumni have gone on to doctoral programs in a variety of fields, including bioethics, biomedical sciences, biomedical forensic sciences, chronic disease epidemiology, education, medical/veterinary sciences, neuroscience, oncology, and pubic health at top research universities.

Roles held by recent graduates include: 

• Senior Research Technician
• Clinical Research Coordinator
• Medical Student

Alumni work at a variety of organizations, including:

• Boston Children’s Hospital
• Harvard University

Career Advising and Mentorship

Whatever your career goals, we’re here to support you. Harvard’s Mignone Center for Career Success offers career advising, employment opportunities, Harvard alumni mentor connections, and career fairs like the annual Harvard Biotech, Pharma, & Healthcare Expo on campus at Harvard.

Your Harvard University Degree

Upon successful completion of the required curriculum, you will receive your Harvard University degree — a Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, Field: Biology.

Expand Your Connections: the Harvard Alumni Network

As a graduate, you’ll become a member of the worldwide Harvard Alumni Association (400,000+ members) and Harvard Extension Alumni Association (29,000+ members).

Tuition & Financial Aid

Affordability is core to our mission. When compared to our continuing education peers, it’s a fraction of the cost.

After admission, you may qualify for financial aid . Typically, eligible students receive grant funds to cover a portion of tuition costs each term, in addition to federal financial aid options.

Learning & Connection

Deep learning springs from human connection. That’s why we work so hard to bring people together — whether in a live virtual classroom or an in-person seminar on campus.

Our approach to online learning fosters interaction without sacrificing flexibility. Each week, you’ll engage with your instructor, participate in peer discussions, and receive one-on-one support from teaching staff—all from your home or office.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Department of Biology

A doctoral degree is offered by the Program in Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology, and Biophysics (CMDB) .

CMDB graduate students participate in a core curriculum including molecular biology, cellular biology, developmental biology, and biophysics. Students continue to broaden their knowledge in these areas throughout their graduate training while they specialize in their own research areas. Through this cross-training, PhDs emerge from the CMDB program prepared to tackle complex problems in 21st-century biosciences.

The CMDB program includes faculty from Johns Hopkins University’s departments of Biology, Biophysics , and Chemistry , as well as from the Carnegie Institution for Science Department of Embryology .

Other JHU Graduate Programs in Biology

• MS in Biology
• Part-time MS in Biotechnology
• Part-time MS in Bioinformatics
• Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program

DONATE EVENTS CONTACT

Graduate Program

Our Biology graduate programs span the breadth of biological questions and experimental systems — from evolution in viruses to cell and molecular biology in frogs and plants to bioinformatics of the human genome. Advances in genome sequencing and analysis together with rapid growth in interdisciplinary research are making the 21st century an exciting time for Biology.  The University of North Carolina recognizes the importance of investing in Biology research and training and is undertaking key initiatives in the life sciences.  The Biology department’s addition of the Genome Science Building and the recruitment of many new faculty make the department a vibrant place to learn and advance science.

Our  graduate students have the opportunity to become outstanding researchers in their chosen area of specialization.  They learn how to conduct and analyze scientific research, give seminars, publish research papers, and write grants.  Our programs allow flexibility in training for a multitude of futures, from university research and teaching, to biotechnology, to environmental conservation.

Explore our options below for more information and resources. Thank you for joining us!

Dr. Christopher Willett , Director of Graduate Studies

Explore our faculty who specialize in the following areas of research:

QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY

Degree Extension due to COVID-19

Funding extension due to covid-19.

• How to Apply

Interested in applying to the Biology Graduate Program? The Científico Latino Project provides wonderful resources to assist you when applying to graduate school in STEM.

Students interested in  Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology ( EEOB-Direct ) should apply directly to the Biology department.  Our admissions process is primarily driven by faculty interest, so please identify and contact at least one prospective adviser who’s lab you would be interested in joining before applying. Please refer to the Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology page for more information

Students interested in Quantitative Biology ( QBio-Direct ) should generally apply directly to the Biology department. Applicants will only be considered if a faculty member is willing to advise that student. Applicants therefore need to identify prospective advisors prior to submitting an application and indicate this on the application. Please refer to the Quantitative Biology Graduate Track page for more information.

Students interested in  Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology  (MCDB) must apply through the BBSP Program (BBSP-Rotation). Through the BBSP program, students complete lab rotations during their first year and then at the end join a lab and program.

Students interested in the interface of our programs should contact one or more prospective faculty advisers for guidance on how to apply.

Faculty accepting students for 24-25 academic year:

Quick links:.

• Program in Evolution, Ecology, & Organismal Biology
• Program in Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology
• Quantitative Biology Graduate Track
• 2024 Graduate Student Appreciation Week Highlights

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

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Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS)  is an area of study within the Division of Medical Sciences, an administrative unit based at Harvard Medical School that coordinates biomedical PhD activities at the Longwood Medical Area. Students who study in BBS receive a PhD in medical sciences. Prospective students apply through the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS). In the online application, select  “Division of Medical Sciences” as your program choice and select "Biological and Biomedical Sciences" in the area of study menu.

This program trains you in the biosciences, starting with core training in contemporary genetics; biochemistry; and molecular, cellular, and mechanistic biology. You can customize your curriculum to allow you to align with your research interests.

You will have access to a vast wealth of resources, including more than 700 faculty, top scientists, core facilities and hospitals, cutting-edge research, and an extensive alumni network. You will be in close proximity to top nationwide hospitals and research centers and more than 130 biotech, biopharma, and pharmaceutical companies that have biological and biomedical sciences (BBS) alumni on staff.

Examples of specific student projects include “Development of nucleic acid detection methods for object provenance and viral diagnostics,” “Interrogating genetic diversity in Mycobacterium abscessus with transposon-sequencing,” and “Sexual dimorphism in hair follicle stem cells.”

Graduates of the program have secured faculty positions at such prestigious institutions as New York University, University of Minnesota, Harvard University, and University of Illinois. Others have gone on to careers with leading companies such as Novartis and the Broad Institute. Derrick Rossi, cofounder of Moderna, is a graduate of the BBS program.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Not Accepted GRE Subject: Not Accepted iBT TOEFL minimum score: 100 IELTS minimum score: 7

See list of Biological and Biomedical Sciences faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Graduate Admissions

Helpful guides for applying to the biology phd program, tips for applying to the cmob track, tips for applying to the eco/evo track.

The PhD program trains students for careers in research and teaching. In addition to a wide range of courses, the PhD program offers informal but intensive instruction in laboratories and seminars, characterized by close contact between students and their faculty advisors. Biology is one of fourteen home programs  in the  Biosciences,  which span the School of Medicine and the School of Humanities and Sciences.

How to Apply

For the 2023-2024 PhD application season, application processes will be run through existing Biology (School of Humanities & Sciences)  and the Oceans Department(Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability). 

Previously part of the Biology Department , Hopkins Marine Station is now part of the Oceans Department within the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability (SDSS).  Several faculty took appointments in Oceans, while others chose to stay in Biology; still others have joint appointments.  Additionally, several faculty members in Ecology/Evolutionary Biology now have joint appointments within Biology and SDSS. Based on these changes, the following information will provide further guidance for the application process. 

• Faculty with 100% appointments in Biology, will only recruit through Biology.  The Biology application will be used.
• Ecology/Evolutionary Biology faculty with 50/50 appointments in both Biology and SDSS will recruit students through either Biology or Earth Systems Science .  If you are interested in working with Ecology/Evolutionary faculty with joint Biology/SDSS appointments, you should reach out to them directly regarding the appropriate application track to choose. 
• 100% Oceans faculty will only be recruiting students through the Earth Systems Science application.
• Oceans faculty appointed 50/50 in Biology and SDSS (Oceans Department), will recruit students through either Biology or Earth Systems Science .  If you are interested in working with Oceans faculty with joint Biology/SDSS appointments, you should reach out to the individual faculty members you hope to work with regarding the appropriate application and track to choose. 

Faculty Affiliated with the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability

Oceans Department:

Fio Micheli 100% 

Jeremy Goldbogen 100%

Giulio De Leo 100%

Larry Crowder 100%

Steve Palumbi 50% Oceans/50%Biology

Barbara Block 50% Oceans/50% Biology

*Note Chris Lowe will remain 100% in Biology

Ecology/Evolution

Liz Hadly 50% SDSS/50%Biology

Rodolfo Dirzo 50% SDSS/50%Biology

Tad Fukami 50% SDSS/50%Biology

Kabir Peay 50% SDSS/50%Biology

Chris Field 50% SDSS/50% Biology

Gretchen Daily 50% SDSS/50% Biology

Application and Deadline

Stanford Biology PhD Program applications are made through Graduate Admissions . The application deadline for Autumn Quarter 2024 matriculation is December 5, 2023 at 11:59pm pst.  The application for the Autumn 2024 cohort will be available in September 2023.  Please review the Graduate Admissions website prior to starting your application. Applications are considered for admission in Autumn Quarter only. 

Application Status

To check your application status,  click here to Visit Your Status Page .  

Requirements

• U.S. Bachelor's degree or its foreign equivalent
• Stanford Graduate application
• Non-refundable application fee of $125 (or fee waiver found here ) 
• Statement of Purpose
• Three Letters of Recommendation (a maximum of four letters will be accepted)
• Transcripts - Unofficial transcripts from all universities and colleges you've attended for one year or more must be uploaded to the online application.  Graduate Admissions only requires admitted applicants who accept the offer of admission to submit official transcripts that shows their degree conferral. Please do not send or have sent any official transcripts to us at this time.
• TOEFL Test of English as a Foreign Language (required for non-native English speakers)
• A current Curriculum Vitae/Resume

Knight-Hennessy Scholars

Join dozens of  Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences students  who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community as  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  (KHS). KHS admits up to 100 select applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of leadership programming, and receive full funding for up to three years of your PhD studies at Stanford. Candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS. Stanford PhD students may also apply to KHS during their first year of PhD enrollment. If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is October 11, 2023. Learn more about  KHS admission .

Biology PhD Program General Information

Diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging.

The Department of Biology recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision. The Department of Biology welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. Review of applications is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays in order to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field.Please see the websites below for more resources.

• Diversity and Engagement in Biosciences PhD Programs
• Vice Provost for Graduate Education
• Biology Equity and Belonging
• Research Sites
• Faculty Profiles and Labs
• Inquiries about the PhD in Biology should be directed to  biologyadmissions [at] lists.stanford.edu (biologyadmissions[at]lists[dot]stanford[dot]edu)

• MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff

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123 Snyder Hall 1475 Gortner Ave St. Paul , MN 55108

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Our faculty – which includes four National Academy of Science members – conduct more than $65 million in research each year for the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Energy, among others. We are ranked among the top 10 Biology graduate programs by U.S. News & World Report , and support about 90 graduate students.

Many faculty research programs span multiple research areas and levels of biological organization, creating a dynamic training environment for graduate students interested in cross-disciplinary training. Our research builds bridges within Duke departments and beyond, with most faculty having close collaborations with multiple other Universities and Institutes nationally and internationally. 

Areas of Research

Selected Works

Our team frequently share their research findings and efforts in leading industry journals with contributed  academic articles and papers .

Research Labs

Learn more about each faculty member's research focus, and visit their individual lab sites to track their progress.

Facilities & Centers

Duke researchers have a variety of facilities available to help them advance their work, as well as close relationships with a Duke centers with their unique specialities.

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• Learning from Baboons: Dr. Susan Alberts
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• Predator-Prey Interactions in a Changing World: Dr. Jean Philippe Gibert
• Exploring the Extracellular Matrix: Dr. David Sherwood
• Cell Division's Missing Link: Dr. Masayuki Onishi
• Listening in to Birdsong: Dr. Steve Nowicki
• Biogeochemistry as Ecosystem Accounting: Dr. Emily Bernhardt
• Building a Dynamic Nervous System: Dr. Pelin Volkan
• Investigating a Key Plant Hormone: Dr. Lucia Strader
• Imagining Visual Ecology: Dr. Sönke Johnsen
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• Research Articles & Papers
• Botany Plot
• Field Station
• Pest Management Protocols
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Biology@Berkeley

Graduate programs.

UC Berkeley has many excellent graduate programs. Those in fields related to the biological sciences are listed below. Interested students should visit the Prospective Student page for information about applying to UC Berkeley graduate programs.

Departments and Graduate Groups

• Bioengineering
• Biostatistics
• Comparative Biochemistry
• Computational Biology
• Endocrinology
• Environmental Health Science
• Environmental Science, Policy, and Management
• Epidemiology
• Infectious Diseases and Immunity
• Integrative Biology
• Metabolic Biology
• Microbiology
• Molecular & Cell Biology
• Molecular and Biochemical Nutrition
• Molecular Toxicology
• Neuroscience
• Plant Biology
• Public Health
• Vision Science

Designated Emphases

The following programs do not accept applicants directly, but instead accept students from specific programs above who would like to specialize in their topic.

• Computational and Genomic Biology
• Chemical Biology
• Nanoscale Science and Engineering

Doctoral Program in Chemical and Biological Sciences

Scripps Research's doctoral program is an interdisciplinary graduate program that provides rigorous training in chemistry, chemical biology, biology, neurosciences, immunology, cell biology, chemical physiology, and biophysics. When students enroll in the program, they do not join a department, but rather pursue their graduate studies with access to the entire curriculum and faculty affiliated with the school regardless of the faculty member’s department. This approach allows students to be broadly trained and emphasizes the creation of basic knowledge in the biosciences.

MISSION The central mission of Scripps Research's graduate program is to train the next generation of scientists at the interface of biological and chemical sciences for productive careers in the global economy.

NEW! On Friday, October 13 we hosted a live chat with our faculty, admissions committee staff, and current graduate students, during our annual Graduate Program Virtual Open House! Watch the videos from this event HERE.

TWO LOCATIONS, ONE PROGRAM Students may study, conduct research, and attend research seminars and professional development workshops in either one of two beautiful settings: La Jolla, California and Jupiter, Florida . The latest broadcasting technologies and pedagogical tools are employed to ensure connectivity, communication, and interaction between students and faculty in both locations.

INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH A key feature of Scripps Research's graduate program is the ability for students to completely customize their experience across conventional boundaries. New students can customize their curriculum to consist of diverse courses aligned with their research interests, while also selecting  lab rotations that impart laboratory experience in more than one research area. Students can also customize the focus of their thesis research to gain exposure to any discipline of their choosing.

PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES Scripps Research's doctoral program achieves its mission through the following program learning outcomes (PLOs):

Original research is central to the doctoral experience. Through faculty mentoring and laboratory activities, students develop the skills critical for high-level research output. Graduate students are expected to use analytical skills to assess and categorize existing bodies of knowledge and integrate innovative research initiatives both within and across disciplines. They are then able to build arguments or interpretations of their experimental results that are logical and well evidenced in pursuit of creating new knowledge. This endeavor involves a great deal of cooperation and collaboration among lab members or with different labs.  Students are required to be trained on the ethical norms of research such as mutual respect, trust, confidentiality, rigor, and accountability. Further, students are expected to be knowledgeable about ethics and practical requirements for data and resource sharing, and for the use of human subjects and animals in their research. Publications in peer-reviewed journals and other recognition from the scientific community are signals of quality intellectual output.

Program Learning Outcome (PLO) Success Indicators

• Integrate knowledge of specific research area into scientific approaches
• Design testable hypotheses that are creative and insightful to the research area
• Evaluate rigorous approaches to investigate the hypotheses
• Demonstrate mastery of scientific tools and techniques, including laboratory-based and computer-based techniques, to address scientific questions
• Analyze and interpret experimental data to obtain reproducible and statistically significant results that can be used support scientific insights
• Demonstrate the practices and expected behaviors of an ethical scientist
• Be a steward of science

In any scientific or professional environment, the ability to successfully engage with peer and lay audiences is critical. Scripps Research students are able to effectively communicate the impact of a study or a body of work to the greater scientific community and to the public at large.

During their training at Scripps Research, graduate students are expected to publish and communicate the impact of their research through scientific journals as well as poster and oral presentation. They demonstrate the oral, written, and media communication skills required to be effective mentors, future scientific leaders, and scientifically literate citizens.  Students build these skills through writing and reviewing scientific manuscripts, collaborating with other scientists, attending courses and workshops, and taking advantage of scientific symposia and professional development opportunities. 

• Collaborate collegially with others and demonstrate effective teamwork in-person and virtually
• Cogently summarize research, its significance, and context for non-specialist audiences
• Give affirming and critical feedback to others and respond constructively to feedback from others
• Prepare and deliver in-person and online presentations, suitable for either specialist or non-specialist audiences, that demonstrate an understanding of effective messaging and slide design
• Prepare well-written manuscripts that meet the standards of reputable journals and respond appropriately and effectively to recommendations for revision
• Select and participate in appropriate scholarly meetings to present research findings
• Critically evaluate original research results, articulate possible “next experiments,” and write compelling synopses describing their research
• Identify appropriate fellowship or grant opportunities and prepare competitive proposals

An important skill for success in biomedical research doctoral programs is thinking critically about problems, claims, justifications, decisions, and data made by other scientists. Effective critical thinkers use a self-directed process to analyze problems or information and form opinions or judgments about whether claims are plausible and grounded in sound scientific reasoning. Graduate students are expected to rely on information literacy to improve the quality of their scientific thoughts, evaluate justifications, navigate challenges, and make informed opinions about the work. Scripps Research graduate students learn to ask important questions that guide their behavior and the way that data and information are analyzed and interpreted. Strong critical thinking skills encourage curiosity, improve reasoning, enhance creativity, reinforce problem-solving ability, and foster independence. The institute provides opportunities to engage in discussion, debate, case studies, journal clubs, and presentations where these skills can be honed and refined.

• Identify and explain issues or problems clearly
• Recognize the importance of context on the problem
• Consider relevant perspectives and positions that differ from their own
• Apply statistical rigor to raise questions about the validity of results
• Clearly identify assumptions behind the conclusions that are made
• Select and structure the evidence needed to support an argument, point of view, or conclusion
• Evaluate conclusions, implications, and consequences

At the core of pursuing a doctoral degree is the drive to explore the unknown in order to initiate new paths, new ways of thinking and to bring innovation to enlighten a field of study. Intellectual curiosity is at the heart of a relentless pursuit to always be learning and innovating. Scripps Research graduate students are expected to acquire the capacity to build their intellectual curiosity and demonstrate problem solving approaches that serve their professional growth and ability to impact a field, during graduate school and beyond through lifelong learning.

To assist students in the development of intellectual curiosity, the institute provides a world class research and learning environment that champions multi-disciplinary collaboration, cutting edge technologies and instrumentation, stimulating scientific seminars, symposia and lectures and outstanding faculty mentors.

• Demonstrate self-motivation in identifying problems, pathways, and actionable steps that lead to insight
• Articulate scientific ideas that reflect a relentless ability to uncover the unknown
• Engage in mastering new techniques, applications and applying research methods that stretch scientific pursuit
• Demonstrate an ability to bridge multi-disciplinary scientific concepts and integrate disparate ideas and research areas that advance forward-thinking ideas
• Articulate originality in thought and presentations
• Dissect concepts to reveal flaws and construct new ideas that bring insight
• Demonstrate contributions to science that impact new discovery
• Persevere on difficult tasks by demonstrating persistence and employing rigorous approaches that reassess, adapt, pivot, and reconceptualize to discover and innovate
• Demonstrate depth of thought, reflection, and ability to gather new input and considerations to generate new ideas

Scripps Research promotes a culture of informed, proactive and strategic career planning .  Students seek information about potential career paths afforded to them by a Ph.D. degree, talk to employers and mentors in areas of interest, and become aware of the preparation and initiative required to pursue these paths. Students collaborate with their faculty advisor to prepare an Individual Development Plan (IDP) to map their educational goals, career exploration, and professional development.

Scripps Research students develop a variety of transferable skillsets throughout their graduate experience, including management and leadership, resilience, scientific rigor, collaboration, time management, teamwork, networking, and career planning. To assist students in successfully preparing for a variety of possible careers, the institute offers career and professional development workshops, course offerings, career advising, and experiential learning opportunities.

• Demonstrate the oral, written and media communication skills required to be effective scientists, communicators, mentors, teachers, scientifically literate citizens, and stewards of science.
• Develop professional competencies, such as interpersonal communication, budgeting, project management, mentoring, teaching, and workplace ethics skills that are needed to plan and implement research projects
• Work collaboratively in team settings involving colleagues with expertise in other disciplines and from diverse cultural and disciplinary backgrounds
• Prepare and revisit an Individual Development Plan (IDP) to optimize and integrate research progress with broader professional development plans
• Identify Ph.D.-level career paths that complement professional interests, skills, and values
• Critically evaluate transferable skills and articulate ways in which these skills can be developed
• Enhance professional identity by participating in appropriate professional organizations, conferences, and scientific meetings, demonstrating professional conduct and communication

• UC Irvine Home Page

Graduate Programs

Masters program descriptions.

Masters in Conservation and Restoration Science

The Masters in Conservation and Restoration Science (MCRS) is a professional degree program designed to provide the graduate with the skills and knowledge base necessary to hold leadership and management positions in environmental fields related to conservation, restoration, and sustainability. This is a highly collaborative program, portions of which will embed students into real-world conservation and restoration settings through community partnerships.

University of California, Irvine Student Learning Outcomes for Masters of Conservation and Restoration Science (MCRS)

Masters of Conservation and Restoration Science (MCRS)

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the MCRS program, students will be able to:

Disciplinary Core Knowledge

• Apply concepts of ecological systems under stress to conservation and restoration actions with the goal of solving complex problems.
• Analyze and interpret conservation or restoration literature or data to apply evidence-based research to new management situations.
• Explain how policy impacts ecosystem health.
• Describe the historical context of the modern environmental movement and its influence on current environmental laws and regulations.

Technical Knowledge

• Use GIS, remote sensing, and informatics to frame and solve complex problems.

Professional Knowledge

• Apply project management theories and frameworks to the design and implementation of a conservation or restoration project.
• Communicate conservation/restoration information through oral, written, digital, and visual presentations.
• Engage with knowledge networks with diverse stakeholders.

Integrated Knowledge

• Lead/collaborate in planning, designing, implementing, and managing complex, large-scale conservation and restoration-related adaptive management activities (management plan, experimental design, report, or scholarly paper) a team to design and produce an active adaptive management plan through site assessment, trials evaluating management actions, monitoring, and collaborations with multiple stakeholders.
• Adhere to social dimensions of conservation and restoration, including socioeconomic values such as cultural features, social uses and perceptions, and environmental ethics.

Career Knowledge

• identify, apply for, and be hired for jobs in the field of conservation and restoration science.

Biotechnology

The Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry offers a graduate program in Biotechnology leading to the Master’s of Science degree in Biological Sciences. The program emphasizes formal training and immediate participation in research. Students participate in core technical laboratories in protein isolation and characterization, animal and microbial cell culture and recombinant DNA methodology, and participate in individual faculty research projects. A specialization is offered in Stem Cell Biology.

For more information, please visit the Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry’s website .

University of California, Irvine Student Learning Outcomes for Biotechnology, M.S.

School of Biological Sciences PLOs

Biotechnology M.S.

PLO1: Core Knowledge

• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of central concepts in the biological sciences
• Understand the current concepts in molecular biology, biochemistry, and biomedical sciences
• Demonstrate specialized knowledge of cellular and molecular biology sufficient to carry out substantive independent research

PLO2: Research Methods and Analysis 

• Read and critically evaluate the scientific literature
• Formulate hypotheses based on current concepts in the field
• Design (when appropriate), conduct, and interpret their own research projects
• Understand the range of tools appropriate for research in their sub-field
• Understand and follow research ethics

PLO3: Pedagogy: 

• Communicate effectively to large and small groups in pedagogical settings including teaching (for those students who TA), research seminars, and other formats
• For those students who TA, identify and effectively deploy suitable technologies for use in all aspects of instruction

PLO4: Scholarly Communication: 

• Review and discuss relevant literature and its significance
• Publish research results in peer-reviewed publications if appropriate
• Communicate research results effectively through oral presentations at lab meetings, scientific seminars, conferences (if appropriate), and other venues
• Make clear and cogent oral presentations, including effective use of technology
• Present second-year research to an audience of colleagues and faculty, including the program director and PI mentor

PLO5: Professionalism

• Career Development: Work with Career Center and MSBTM counselors to develop professional skills including resume preparation, interview techniques, presentation methods, and interpersonal skills
• Participate in summer internship in the private sector, or summer research in a faculty laboratory
• When appropriate, write abstracts describing their research for consideration at research conferences
• Prepare oral presentations suitable for presentation at a research conference
• Make effective contributions to research teams and learning seminars

PLO6: Independent Research 

• Develop or contribute to research projects that meet high standards of theoretical and methodological rigor
• Produce scholarship that is comparable in scope and format to articles that appear in leading peer-reviewed journals in molecular and biomedical sciences

Biotechnology Management

The Master of Science Program in Biotechnology Management (MSBTM) is a multi-disciplinary program offered jointly by the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, the Paul Merage School of Business, and the Department of Biomedical Engineering. It is a professional program designed to provide essential training in both science and management. The two-year curriculum emphasizes innovation, and is designed to bridge the gap between the scientific and business sides of the biotechnology industry. Graduates will have the flexibility to enter the job market as scientists, managers, or both.

For more information, please visit the Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry’s website here .

Best Global Universities for Biology and Biochemistry in the United States

These are the top universities in the United States for biology and biochemistry, based on their reputation and research in the field. Read the methodology »

To unlock more data and access tools to help you get into your dream school, sign up for the  U.S. News College Compass !

Here are the best global universities for biology and biochemistry in the United States

Harvard university, massachusetts institute of technology (mit), stanford university, university of california berkeley, university of california san francisco, university of california san diego, university of washington seattle, johns hopkins university, university of california los angeles, cornell university.

See the full rankings

• Clear Filters

• # 1 in Best Universities for Biology and Biochemistry
• # 1 in Best Global Universities

Founded in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest higher education institution in the U.S. The bulk of Harvard's... Read More

• # 2 in Best Universities for Biology and Biochemistry
• # 2 in Best Global Universities

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, founded in 1861, is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, near Boston. Around... Read More

• # 3 in Best Universities for Biology and Biochemistry
• # 3 in Best Global Universities

Stanford University was founded in 1885 and is located in California’s Bay Area, around 30 miles south of San Francisco... Read More

• # 4 in Best Universities for Biology and Biochemistry
• # 4 in Best Global Universities

The University of California—Berkeley is situated roughly 15 miles from San Francisco in what is known as the Bay Area... Read More

• # 5 in Best Universities for Biology and Biochemistry
• # 16 in Best Global Universities  (tie)

The University of California—San Francisco is a public institution that was founded in 1864. The health sciences-focused... Read More

• # 7 in Best Universities for Biology and Biochemistry
• # 20 in Best Global Universities

The University of California—San Diego is a public institution that was established in 1960. It is located in the La... Read More

• # 8 in Best Universities for Biology and Biochemistry
• # 6 in Best Global Universities

The University of Washington is a public institution that was founded in 1861. The school's oldest and largest campus in... Read More

• # 10 in Best Universities for Biology and Biochemistry
• # 10 in Best Global Universities

Johns Hopkins University is a private institution that was founded in 1876. The school has campuses located in and... Read More

• # 12 in Best Universities for Biology and Biochemistry
• # 14 in Best Global Universities

The University of California—Los Angeles, commonly referred to as UCLA, is a public institution that was founded in... Read More

• # 13 in Best Universities for Biology and Biochemistry
• # 21 in Best Global Universities

Cornell University is a private institution that was founded in 1865. The Ivy League school is located in Ithaca, New... Read More

• How to Apply
• Timeline to Ph.D.
• Graduate Assistant Support
• Forms & Handbook

Doctoral Programs

Basic biological research has evolved into a broad, fast-paced and dynamic profession that drives newly emerging industries and actively shapes many human endeavors. Both globally and locally, cutting-edge research at Texas A&M University strives to improve the ways people everywhere manage their health and the health of their planet. You can participate in the biological revolution by joining our graduate program at Texas A&M University. We invite you to learn about us and consider graduate study in the Department of Biology at Texas A&M University as your gateway to the future

Research and training at the forefront of biology

Our Graduate Program in Biology offers a diverse range of integrative training opportunities for students seeking a Ph.D. degree in cutting-edge biological research. Basic biological research continues to lead the way for the other life sciences, and advances in medicine and agriculture are based on key discoveries generated by basic research. The Biology Department offers Ph.D. degrees in both Biology and Microbiology.

The Biology department offers Ph.D. training with faculty who explore a diverse suite of disciplines in the biological sciences, including cell, molecular, and developmental biology, ecology and evolutionary biology, microbiology, biological clocks, genetics and genomics, neuroscience and behavior, plant biology, and physiology and systems biology. Many faculty research programs span multiple research areas and levels of biological organization, creating a dynamic training environment for graduate students. Evolutionary theory sets the stage for many cross-disciplinary programs and research collaborations among our diverse faculty. All students entering the program receive rigorous academic training and carry out their research in competitive, state-of-the-art research labs.

Dr. Heath Blackmon, Graduate Advisor

Jennifer Bradford, Assistant Program Director

HOW TO APPLY

Completed applications are due by december 1, 2023 for fall 2024 admittance.

Applicants should visit the Faculty Research Interests page to identify the most suitable labs. Applicants are encouraged to contact faculty directly to discuss prospects for rotations and should include this information in the Statement of Purpose.

Submit the on-line application through the Texas A&M Graduate CAS application portal.

In addition to the online application, you will need to submit the following:

1. A Statement of Purpose can be submitted through CAS: The statement of purpose should then explain why you want to pursue graduate studies, why you are applying to our department, your research interests, and a description of your previous research experience. In addition, applicants should visit Faculty Research Interests to identify labs of interest for rotations, and include this information in the Statement of Purpose.

2. Transcripts can be sent directly to the Texas A&M Office of Admissions (address below). While official transcripts are being sent to the university, you can upload unofficial transcripts in CAS.

• Official transcripts MUST be received before the start of the fall semester if admitted to the program.

3. Three Letters of Recommendation can be submitted through CAS.

4. TOEFL/IELTS scores :

• In order for your application to be considered, you should have a TOEFL score of above 100 total, with a speaking score of 23 or higher.
• IELTS scores should be above 7 total, with a speaking score of 7 or higher.
• For more information on what countries are exempt from TOEFL or IELTS, please see https://admissions.tamu.edu/apply/international/international-graduate under the “Proof of English Proficiency” section.

5. CV : Upload your resume or CV to CAS.

**We no longer take the GRE for graduate applicants.

Please do not send any materials directly to the Department of Biology. Everything should go to the Office of Admissions or uploaded through AIS.

TIMELINE TO PH.D.

The decision to enter graduate school is a decision to commit to a rigorous advanced scientific training program. Requirements for the Ph.D. include course work, participation in seminars relevant to the field of research, successful completion of an oral qualifying examination, one year of teaching experience, and completion of a research dissertation under faculty guidance.

The First Year Upon arriving at Texas A&M, we help you get acclimated to life in College Station and in the Department of Biology. You will meet your fellow entering students, who will undoubtedly be a source of friendship and moral support during graduate school and beyond. You also are introduced to our faculty and staff, who will help you become an integral part of our Department.

First year studies primarily involve coursework related to your chosen field. By the end of the first year, our students draw up a personalized degree plan with the help of an initial guidance committee. Laboratory rotations are completed by end of the first year, and students identify the lab in which they will carry out their dissertation research.

The Second Year During the second year, students complete required coursework and focus on learning the techniques they will be using to carry out their research. By the end of their second year, students are expected to have formally defined their research plan. Comprehensive written and oral qualifying exams are administered by the student’s dissertation committee members, and must be completed before the beginning of the third year. Passing the qualifying exam marks the student’s advancement to candidacy, and the remainder of graduate studies consists of dissertation research.

Third Year and Beyond During their third and fourth years, students carry out the research that will form the body of their dissertation. Coursework is limited to seminars and special topics courses related to their research. As a part of their training, students will make presentations of their research project to their peers, attend seminars and participate in journal clubs. To complete the requirements for a Ph.D., students prepare and defend their dissertation in a public presentation. This is typically completed at the end of the fifth year, although some students complete sooner and some later than this.

Laboratory rotations are a central component of our students’ first year. Our entering students work in three different laboratories during the first semester (5 weeks in each laboratory). Some students enter our program to work with a specific faculty sponsor, and take advantage of the rotation requirement to broaden their expertise in a complementary area. Most students, however, enter our program unattached to any specific lab. Rotations give our new students an opportunity after arriving at Texas A&M to identify the laboratory that is most suited to their research and academic interests. While most entering students decide on a permanent laboratory home after their second rotation, many choose to do one or two additional laboratory rotations.

The time spent in these rotations will help ensure that you make the right choice in advisors and are comfortable and excited about the lab you are entering and the people you will be working with.

GRADUATE ASSISTANT SUPPORT

All of our students are support through Graduate Assistantships, which are given in the form of Teaching Assistantships or Research Assistantships. As long as the student remains in good standing with the department and the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies, they will be fully supported until the degree is completed.

The Graduate Assistantships cover tuition and a living stipend of $2,500 per month. Students do not have to apply for the assistantships; we provide support to all admitted Ph.D. students.

FORMS & HANDBOOK

Department of biology graduate forms.

• First-Year Committee Meeting Form (pdf)
• Annual Committee Meeting Form (pdf)
• Ph. D. Handbook 2021
• Ph.D. Handbook 2018
• Ph.D. Handbook 2015
• Graduate Handbook 2012
• Graduate Handbook 2008

Office of Graduate Studies Forms

• All OGAPS forms must be filled out using tARCS, which is located in the Howdy portal.
• Research Proposal Approval Form
• Preliminary Examination Checklist and Report
• Request and Announcement of the Final Examination
• Request for Exemption from the Final Examination
• Written Dissertation Approval Form
• Written Thesis Approval Form
• Thesis, Dissertation, and Record of Study – Copyright Availability
• Final Exam Results forms

Degree Plans and Petitions (Course Change, Committee Change, MDD, etc.)

• Must be submitted via the DPSS website

Biology PhD Track Degree Plan

Required Courses for the First Long Semester (Fall, Year 1)

Required Courses for the Second Long Semester (Spring, Year 1)

Required Courses for the Third Long Semester (Fall, Year 2)

Required Courses for the Fourth Long Semester (Spring, Year 2 through Graduation)

Microbiology PhD Track Degree Plan

Student Post-Doc Research Conference

The Student Post-Doc Research Conference (SPRC) is an event that allows graduate students and post-docs to share their research with each other. Participants in the SPRC are required to create a poster of their work and then have the option to give a talk or participate in the Data Blitz.

The goal of the Data Blitz is to articulate a topic in a quick, insightful, and clear manner. These short talks (limited to 2 minutes) are intended to grab the attention of the audience and will allow for several presenters to share their ideas in a brief period of time.

Biology Graduate Student Association

The Biology Graduate Student Association (BioGSA) is a student-led organization that helps to create events for the graduate program. They have organized monthly Shop Talks, where students gather together to discuss their research in a relaxed environment; the annual kickball game that takes place before the start of the fall semester; and the International Festival that celebrates the many cultures and diversity in the department.

The BioGSA also holds yearly t-shirt sales to help raise funds for the organization.

Outreach Activities

The Department of Biology’s outreach committee is responsible for developing and maintaining outreach projects, such as STEM events at local schools, in the Bryan-College Station area. Over the last year, the outreach committee has created a sustainable program by meeting with schools in the area to assess need, obtaining resources for experiments, and collaborating with other departments. We have participated in STEM nights at schools in College Station, Navasota, and Bryan. We have also had volunteers participate at several outreach events for organizations such as, Women in Science and Engineering with the Expanding Your Horizons events as well as the Texas Junior Academy of Science, The Big Event, Chemistry Open House, The TAMU Ecological Integration Symposium, Physicsfest, BioBlitz and judge at local science fairs.

Student Research Week Student Research Week is a three day competition that highlights research occurring on the Texas A&M campus with an emphasis on research in which students participate. SRW provides a venue for students to present their work, both through oral presentations and posters. This event allows students, faculty, and the community to see the depth and breadth of research conducted at Texas A&M.

Graduate Resources and Development for Aggies Several Texas A&M offices providing support to graduate students have joined efforts to deliver a coordinated professional development program called G.R.A.D. Aggies, organized into four areas: Academic Development, Leadership and Communication Development, Instruction and Assessment and Career Development. The G.R.A.D. Aggies program supports the Texas A&M institutional Quality Enhancement Plan and provides high-impact learning experiences while promoting a commitment to learning for a lifetime in graduate and professional students.

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• Undergraduate Students
• Graduate Students

Graduate Research

Our department's research programs in ecology, biodiversity and evolutionary biology are led by faculty experts in conservation biology, biome ecology, behavioral evolution and forest ecology. Cell and molecular biology research is focused on cell processes, protein behavior, virus behavior, membrane trafficking, forensic genetics, neurobiology and neurodegenerative disease.

Graduate students outside of the professional science master's program work in research assistantship (GRA) or teaching assistantship (GTA) positions. These positions come with an award to fully cover tuition and provide a nine-month stipend. Most students also work extensively on their thesis research in the summer with support from their faculty advisors' research grants. GRAs also act as assistants in faculty research labs.

GRA funding is provided through the faculty mentor's research grant funds. Students may apply for a GRA by contacting individual faculty in the department.

Breaking Interdisciplinary Ground

Earn your phd in biophysics.

Since its inception in 2008, the molecular and cellular biophysics PhD program has grown to include 16 faculty members across disciplines in biological sciences, physics, chemistry and biochemistry. 

Biophysics students and faculty explore groundbreaking collaborative research and gain new insight into cell function utilizing novel imaging technology and computational analysis.

Current Graduate Students

Catherine Brown Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Phil Danielson

Christian Burns Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Cedric Asensio

Stephen Gross Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Erich Kushner

Nicholas Groves Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Schuyler van Engelenburg

Anne Henry Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Anna Sher

Huxley Hoffman Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Schuyler van Engelenburg

Eva Horna Lowell Pursuing an MS Advisor: Shannon Murphy

Blake Hummer Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Cedric Asensio

Drew Maslar Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Cedric Asensio

Heather McKiernan (Mazzanti) Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Phil Danielson

Randall Mazzarino Pursuing a PhD Advisor: David Patterson

Hui Miao Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Todd Blankenship

Megan Millage Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Todd Blankenship

Taylor Minckley Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Yan Qin

Nairi Pezeshkian Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Schuyler van Engelenburg

Emily Starke Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Scott Barbee

Amelia Webb Pursuing an MS Advisor: Erich Kushner

Yi Xie Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Todd Blankenship

Chen Zhang Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Yan Qin

Jeffrey Colgren Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Scott Nichols

Bernadette Doyle Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Scott Nichols

Caitlin Francis Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Erich Kushner

Dylan Fudge Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Yan Qin

James Gallagher Pursuing an MS Advisor: Robin Tinghitella

Alexander Goetz Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Anna Sher

Alexander Goke Pursuing an MS Advisor: Patrick Martin

Claudia Hallagan Pursuing an MS Advisor: Shannon Murphy and Robin Tinghitella

Brianne Hoglin Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Robert Dores

Kelsie Hunnicut Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Erica Larson

Clara Jenck Pursuing an MS Advisor: Tom Quinn

Lilia Koza Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Dan Linseman

Whitley Lehto Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Robin Tinghitella

Claudia Pena Pursuing an MS Advisor: Dan Linseman

Srivalli Puttagunta Pursuing an MS Advisor: Dan Linseman

Alexandra Sandberg Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Dan Linseman

Brittany Sprout Pursuing an MS Advisor: Anna Sher

Daniel Swann Pursuing an MS Advisor: Patrick Martin

Brooke Washburn Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Robin Tinghitella

Emily Wilkinson Pursuing a PhD Advisor: Joe Angelson

Jacob Wilson Pursuing an MS Advisor: Shannon Murphy and Robin Tinghitella

Funding & Support

Grant Application Support

DU's Office of Sponsored Research & Programs can help you through the process of applying for research funding from federal, non-federal and internal sources.

Graduate Student Resources

The Office of Graduate Studies offers several centrally-funded awards as well as workshops and resources for students involved in research.

Email Graduate Studies at DU

Professional Development Grants

Graduate Student Professional Development Grants provide financial support for conference presentations, exhibitions and performances, thesis and dissertation-related expenses and travel fares.

Support Graduate Studies in Biological Sciences at DU

Text "BIOL" to 41444 to donate.

Start Your Application

Undergraduate applicants.

The Common App is a universal application that can be sent to many schools, including the University of Denver.

First-Year Students Transfer Students

Graduate Applicants

Go to the graduate admission application to submit your information. For information on admission requirements, visit the graduate academic programs page and locate your program of interest.

Graduate Application

Explore Programs

Graduate Academic Programs

• Public Lectures
• Faculty & Staff Site >>

Molecular and Cellular Biology

Recognizing the need for highly trained scientists conversant across disciplines, the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Fred Hutch) offer an interdisciplinary research program, the Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program (MCB). For 25 years, MCB has combined the strengths of UW and Fred Hutch to foster an innovative and flexible graduate training program. Joined by the Benaroya Research Institute (BRI), Seattle Children’s and Pacific Northwest Research Institute (PNRI), MCB offers a broad range of opportunities for research in all areas of biomedical science.

Program Website

Degree(s)/Certificate(s) offered

• Doctor of Philosophy (Molecular and Cellular Biology)
• Master of Science (Molecular and Cellular Biology)*

*Students are admitted to the Ph.D. program only.

Program director/interdisciplinary group chair

• Celeste Berg, Professor, Department of Genome Sciences
• Julian Simon, Affiliate Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry

Interdisciplinary Faculty Group Membership

The following are the core/voting Graduate Faculty members of the interdisciplinary group. For a complete list of faculty active in the program, see the program website.

• John Aitchison, Affiliate Professor, Department of Biochemistry
• Geoffrey Baird, Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
• Sandra Bajjalieh, Professor, Department of Pharmacology
• Mark Bothwell, Professor, Department of Physiology & Biophysics
• Daniel Campbell, Affiliate Professor, Department of Immunology
• Ajay Dhaka, Associate Professor, Department of Biological Structure
• Michael Emerman, Affiliate Professor, Department of Microbiology
• Stanley Fields, Professor, Department of Genome Sciences and Department of Medical Genetics
• Suzanne Hoppins, Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry
• Takato Imaizumi, Professor, Department of Biology
• Rick McLaughlin, Affiliate Assistant Professor, Department of Genome Sciences
• Samuel Miller, Professor, Department of Microbiology
• David Raible, Professor, Department of Biological Structure
• Nina Salama, Affiliate Professor, Department of Microbiology
• Stephen Tapscott, Professor, Department of Neurology
• Toshio Tsukiyama, Affiliate Professor, Department of Biochemistry

Department of Biology

Graduate Studies

The application deadline for the  2024-2025  cohort is February 1, 2024. There is no application fee.

The Portland State Biology graduate program offers M.S.T, M.A., M.S, and Ph.D degree options. Admission into our program is highly competitive. Our multi-disciplinary faculty offer admitted graduate students the opportunity to conduct cutting edge research, gain professional teaching experience, and pursue an academically rigorous program which fosters professional research development. Our students graduate with the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to be successful contributors to the scientific community.

Our campus is located in the heart of Downtown Portland, and our program draws top graduate students from around the world. Our research faculty expertise spans a broad range of disciplines within the field of Biology. Research is conducted in state-of-the-art laboratories and in field locations, from the glaciers of Antarctica, to the jungles of Central and South America, to the bamboo forests of central China. Regional collaborators include public, state and federal agencies as well as other regional institutions including, but not limited to, the Oregon Zoo, Oregon Museum of Science & Industry (OMSI), Oregon Health & Science University, and Oregon State University.

Degree Requirements

• Biology M.A./M.S.
• Biology M.A.T./M.S.T.
• Biology Ph.D.

Graduate Thesis or Dissertation

All Biology graduate students must defend a thesis or dissertation to complete the degree program. The first part of the graduate defense is a one-hour seminar that is open to the public followed by a closed-door review of the student's research with the student and the student's graduate committee.

PDXScholar maintains a  complete list  of all theses and dissertations submitted to the University.  

How to Apply

Applications to the Biology Graduate Program must be made through the Graduate School ; please do not send any application materials directly to the Biology Department.

Applications are reviewed only for admission for fall term. There is no application fee. 

• Graduate School
• Thesis & Dissertation Info
• Grad Dates & Deadlines
• Graduate School Forms
• Joint Campus Registration
• Biology Grad Handbook
• Graduate Learning Objectives

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Application and Program Dates

The dates of the 2024 program are May 27 through Aug. 3, 2024. Application will open on November 15, 2023.

Program Eligibility

Non-MIT undergraduates who meet the following requirements are eligible:

• Full-time undergraduate students at a U.S. university or college
• Current sophomores, juniors, or non-graduating seniors
• Successfully completed introductory courses in the life sciences
• Minimum GPA of 3.5 in all STEM courses
• Must have prior research experience
• Demonstrated interest in basic research and in a career in the sciences
• Must provide all transcripts
• Available to begin the first day of program, no exceptions
• International students on F-1 visas with outstanding academic records who meet ALL of the above criteria are eligible

Program Goals

The Bernard S. and Sophie G. Gould MIT Summer Research Program in Biology (BSG-MSRP-Bio) is offered in collaboration with MIT’s Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences . The program provides a unique opportunity for students who do not have access to cutting-edge research facilities at their own institution to conduct supervised research in a fast-paced environment with state-of-the-art research facilities, and to experience first hand the academic, social, and cultural environment at MIT.

The program is designed to encourage students from low income families, first-generation college students, students from socio-economically-disadvantaged backgrounds, veterans and students with disabilities to attend graduate school and pursue a career in basic research by providing them the opportunity to conduct supervised research in an outstanding research institution, in a supportive learning environment with plenty of interaction with graduate students and faculty. Over 85% of past participants have enrolled in highly ranked graduate programs within three years of completing this summer program. A number of our summer students have been awarded Goldwater Scholarships, pre-doctoral NSF fellowships (GRFP), or Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Fellowships for Advanced Study.

Priority will be given to students studying at non-research intensive institutions , small colleges or public universities.

MIT undergraduates are not eligible for this program. If you are an MIT undergrad, see the UROP Program website.

MSRP Alum in the News

Program Structure

During the program, students work full-time in the laboratory, participate in weekly meetings with faculty, and attend weekly academic seminars. The weekly seminars are designed to help students improve their presentation skills and to be more competitive graduate applicants, and cover topics such as applying to graduate school, giving an oral presentation, writing a research abstract, and learning about various career options available to PhD graduates. Students will also have the opportunity to attend departmental retreats, research seminars and symposia, learn about the graduate application process and meet with various MIT faculty members. The program solicits constructive and timely feedback from the students through the use of surveys.

At the end of the program students give a poster presentation on their research, submit a 5-page research summary, a one-page personal statement about their summer experience at MIT and complete a program evaluation.

All BSG-MSRP-Bio participants are eligible for application fee waivers for any MIT graduate program.

Explore MIT Bio Research

Program Features

All students accepted into the program receive:

• Campus housing in shared suites
• A weekly stipend
• Travel allowance to and from MIT (domestic travel only)
• Peer mentoring

Extracurricular activities

As part of the program, we organize social activities and weekend outings. Past activities have included:

• Visit to Biotech labs
• Tour of Boston and the Freedom Trail
• One-day trip to Martha’s Vineyard
• 4th of July barbecue
• Charles River cruise

You will also have subsidized access to MIT athletic activities.

Online Application

Application requirements.

• Online application form and CV
• 1-page personal statement
• Unofficial college transcript (submitted electronically)
• Three letters of reference from science faculty* (submitted electronically)

* At least one letter must be from a research mentor or lab supervisor. Students with no prior research experience are not eligible. You MUST include letters of reference from your most recent research experiences.

If you have additional questions about the application, contact [email protected] .

Program Funding

This summer internship program is funded in part by the MIT Department of Biology, the Department of Chemistry, the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, the McGovern Institute, the Simons Center for the Social Brain, and generous gifts from private donors. Students with external funding are also encouraged to apply.

Explore Gould Fellowship

• Science Magazine: Making Your Summer Research Internship a Good One 
• A guide for effective scientific posters

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2024 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Recipients and Honorable Mentions

The awardees and honorable mentions for the 2024 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) competition were recently posted and several Biology students were recognized. MCBB PhD student Kristen Harder of the McCall Lab , Biology PhD student Dylan Mankel of the Marlow Lab , and Biology PhD student Elif Ozsen of the Chantranupong Lab were awarded with 3-year graduate research fellowships. Biology PhD students Catherine Gill of the Gilmore Lab and Victoria Guarino and Yu (Emily) Yang of the Wunderlich Lab received honorable mentions.

Congratulations to the awardees and honorable mentions on your hard work and this well-deserved honor.

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

50 Best Colleges for Biology – 2024

May 8, 2024

Biological sciences is the most popular major for those planning to one day apply to med schools. Many biology majors will also continue their education beyond a bachelor’s pursuing Master’s and Ph.D. degrees. With all of these challenges ahead, you’ll want to choose a renowned institution that is one of the best biology colleges and will help you emerge from four years of study ready to compete in a competitive job or graduate school market. The colleges and universities that made our list of best colleges for biology are known for producing knowledgeable graduates who have had ample opportunity for hands-on learning in research laboratories.

When choosing a degree program, you will likely have the opportunity to concentrate in a specific area such as Computational Biology and Mathematical Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Mechanisms of Disease, Molecular and Cell Biology, and Neurobiology.

Methodology 

Click here to read our methodology for the Best Colleges for Biology.

Best Colleges for Biology

Here’s a quick preview of the first biology institutions that made our list. Detailed profiles and stats can be found when you scroll below.

1) Swarthmore College

2) University of California, Los Angeles

3) Harvard University

4) Massachusetts Institute of Technology

5) California Institute of Technology

6) Williams College

7) Stanford University

8) Johns Hopkins University

9) University of Pennsylvania

10) Cornell University

All of the schools profiled below have stellar reputations in the field of biology and commit substantial resources to undergraduate education. For each of the best biology colleges, College Transitions will provide you with—when available—the university’s:

• Cost of Attendance
• Acceptance Rate
• Median  SAT
• Median  ACT
• Retention Rate
• Graduation Rate

We will also include a longer write-up of each college’s:

• Academic Highlights – Includes facts like student-to-faculty ratio, average class size, number of majors offered, and most popular majors.
• Professional Outcomes – Includes info on the rate of positive outcomes, companies employing alumni, and graduate school acceptances.

Swarthmore College

• Swarthmore, PA

Academic Highlights: Swarthmore offers forty undergraduate programs and runs 600+ courses each academic year. Small, seminar-style courses are the norm—an outstanding 33% of sections enroll fewer than ten students, and 70% contain a maximum of nineteen students. Social science degrees are the most commonly conferred, accounting for 24% of all 2022 graduates. Future businessmen/women, engineers, and techies are also well-positioned, given Swat’s incredibly strong offerings in economics, engineering, and computer science.

Professional Outcomes: 68% of Class of 2022 grads entered the workforce shortly after graduation. Popular industries included education (17%), consulting (16%), and financial services (13%); the median starting salary was $60,000. Google is a leading employer of Swarthmore grads followed by Amazon, Goldman Sachs, IBM, and a number of the top universities.  18% of 2022 grads pursued advanced degrees, with 35% pursuing a PhD, 35% entering master’s programs, 10% heading to law school, and 7% matriculating into medical school.

• Enrollment: 1,625
• Cost of Attendance: $81,376
• Median SAT: 1500
• Median ACT: 33
• Acceptance Rate: 7%
• Retention Rate: 96%
• Graduation Rate: 94%

University of California, Los Angeles

• Los Angeles, CA

Academic Highlights: UCLA offers 125 majors in 100+ academic departments, and more than 60 majors require a capstone experience that results in the creation of a tangible product under the mentorship of faculty members. The most commonly conferred degrees are in the social sciences (25%), biology (16%), psychology (11%), mathematics (8%), and engineering (7%). Departmental rankings are high across the board, especially in computer science, engineering, film, fine and performing arts, mathematics, and political science.

Professional Outcomes: UCLA grads flow most heavily into the research, finance, computer science, and engineering sectors. High numbers of recent grads can be found at Disney, Google, EY, Teach for America, Amazon, and Oracle. Hundreds also can be found at Bloomberg, Deloitte, Mattel, Oracle, and SpaceX. The average starting salary exceeds $55,000. 16% of recent grads enrolled directly in a graduate/professional school, with other CA-based institutions like Stanford, Pepperdine, USC, Berkeley, and Loyola Marymount being the most popular.

• Enrollment: 33,040 (undergraduate); 15,010 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $38,517 (in-state); $71,091 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: Test Blind
• Median ACT: Test Blind
• Acceptance Rate: 9%
• Retention Rate: 97%
• Graduation Rate: 93%

Harvard University

• Cambridge, MA

Academic Highlights: There are 50 undergraduate fields of study referred to as concentrations; many are interdisciplinary. Even with a graduate population of over 14,000 to cater to, undergraduate class sizes still tend to be small, with 42% of sections having single-digit enrollments and 71% being capped at nineteen. Economics, government, and computer science are the three most popular areas of concentration at Harvard. Biology, chemistry, physics, math, statistics, sociology, history, English, and psychology all sit atop most departmental ranking lists.

Professional Outcomes: The Crimson Class of 2022 saw 15% of students head directly into graduate/professional school. Of the graduates entering the world of work (virtually everyone else), 58% were entering either the consulting, finance, or technology field. Over 1,000 Harvard alumni presently work for Google and over 500 for Microsoft, McKinsey & Company, and Goldman Sachs. Turning our attention to those moving on to graduate school, Harvard grads with at least a 3.5 GPA typically enjoy acceptance rates into medical school of 90% or greater.

• Enrollment: 7,240
• Cost of Attendance: $79,450
• Median SAT: 1550
• Median ACT: 35
• Acceptance Rate: 3%
• Retention Rate: 98%
• Graduation Rate: 98%

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Academic Highlights: Undergraduates pursue one of 57 majors and 59 minors at this world-class research institution that continues to be one of the world’s most magnetic destinations for math and science geniuses.  The student-to-faculty ratio is an astonishing 3-to-1, and over two-fifths of all class sections have single-digit enrollments, and 70% of courses contain fewer than twenty students. The highest numbers of degrees conferred in 2022 were in the following majors: engineering (31%), computer science and engineering (28%), mathematics (10%), and the physical sciences (7%).

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2023 saw 29% of its members enter the world of employment and 43% continue on their educational paths. The top employers included Accenture, Amazon, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, Google, General Motors, the US Navy, Apple, Bain & Company, and McKinsey. The mean starting salary for an MIT bachelor’s degree holder was $95,000. The most frequently attended graduate schools are a who’s who of elite institutions including MIT itself, Stanford, Caltech, Harvard, and the University of Oxford.

• Enrollment: 4,657
• Cost of Attendance: $82,730
• Acceptance Rate: 4%
• Retention Rate: 99%
• Graduation Rate: 95%

California Institute of Technology

• Pasadena, CA

Academic Highlights: Across all divisions, there are 28 distinct majors. Possessing an absurdly favorable 3:1 student-to-faculty ratio, plenty of individualized attention is up for grabs. Class sizes are not quite as tiny as the student-to-faculty ratio might suggest, but 70% of courses enroll fewer than twenty students, and 28% enroll fewer than ten. Computer science is the most popular major, accounting for 38% of all degrees conferred. Engineering (30%), the physical sciences (20%), and mathematics (6%) also have strong representation.

Professional Outcomes: Caltech is a rare school that sees six-figure average starting salaries for its graduates; in 2022, the median figure was $120,000. Forty-three percent of recent grads went directly into the workforce and found homes at tech giants such as Google, Intel, Microsoft, Apple, and Meta. A healthy 46% of those receiving their diplomas in 2022 continued directly on the higher education path, immediately entering graduate school. Ninety-seven percent of these students were admitted to one of their top-choice schools.

• Enrollment: 982
• Cost of Attendance: $86,886

Williams College

• Williamstown, MA

Academic Highlights: The school’s 25 academic departments offer 36 majors and a number of concentrations rather than minors. An unparalleled 40% of courses have fewer than ten students enrolled; the median class size is 12 students. Programs in economics, English, history, math, and political science are especially renowned, and the greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (26%), the physical sciences (10%), math and statistics (9%), psychology (9%), and computer science (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Among the Class of 2022, 92% were employed or continuing their educational journey within six months of graduating. Business and education typically attract the most students, with popular companies/organizations including Apple, Google, Goldman Sachs, The New York Times Co., the Peace Corps, and Teach for America. The median annual income for 2022 grads was $75,000. 75% pursue an advanced degree within five years of leaving Williams, with the most frequently attended graduate programs being Harvard, Columbia, and Yale.

• Enrollment: 2,152 (undergraduate); 53 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $81,160
• Median SAT: 1520
• Acceptance Rate: 8%

Stanford University

• Palo Alto, CA

Academic Highlights: Stanford has three undergraduate schools: the School of Humanities & Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Sciences. 69% of classes have fewer than twenty students, and 34% have a single-digit enrollment. Programs in engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, international relations, and economics are arguably the best anywhere. In terms of sheer volume, the greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (17%), computer science (16%), engineering (15%), and interdisciplinary studies (13%).

Professional Outcomes: Stanford grads entering the working world flock to three major industries in equal distribution: business/finance/consulting/retail (19%); computer, IT (19%); and public policy and service, international affairs (19%). Among the companies employing the largest number of recent grads are Accenture, Apple, Bain, Cisco, Meta, Goldman Sachs, Google, McKinsey, Microsoft, and SpaceX. Other companies that employ hundreds of Cardinal alums include LinkedIn, Salesforce, and Airbnb. Starting salaries for Stanford grads are among the highest in the country.

• Enrollment: 8,049 (undergraduate); 10,236 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $87,833
• Median SAT: 1540

Johns Hopkins University

• Baltimore, MD

Academic Highlights: With 53 majors as well as 51 minors, JHU excels in everything from its bread-and-butter medical-related majors to international relations and dance. Boasting an enviable 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio and with 78% of course sections possessing an enrollment under 20, face time with professors is a reality. Many departments carry a high level of clout, including biomedical engineering, chemistry, English, and international studies. Biology, neuroscience, and computer science, which happen to be the three most popular majors, can also be found at the top of the national rankings.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2022 saw 94% of graduates successfully land at their next destination within six months of exiting the university; 66% of graduates entered the world of employment and a robust 19% went directly to graduate/professional school. The median starting salary across all majors was $80,000 for the Class of 2022. JHU itself is the most popular choice for graduate school. The next most frequently attended institutions included Columbia, Harvard, Yale, and MIT.

• Enrollment: 6,044
• Cost of Attendance: $86,065

University of Pennsylvania

• Philadelphia, PA

Academic Highlights : 90 distinct degrees are available across four schools: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Applied Science and Engineering, the College of Nursing, and the world-renowned Wharton School. The greatest number of students pursue degrees in business (19%), social sciences (14%), biology (11%), health sciences (9%), engineering (9%), and computer science (9%). The university boasts an exceptional 26% of courses with an enrollment under ten and 59% with an enrollment under twenty as well as multiple ways for undergrads to conduct research.

Professional Outcomes: 75% of Class of 2022 grads were employed within six months of graduating, and 18% were in graduate school. Finance attracted the highest percentage of grads (30%) followed by consulting (20%), technology (15%), and healthcare (10%). Employers hiring the greatest number of 2022 grads included JPMorgan, Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey, Bain & Company, Meta, and Goldman Sachs. The median starting salary for all graduates is $80,000. For those continuing their educational journeys, the most popular move is to remain at Penn, followed by Columbia and Harvard.

• Enrollment: 9,760 (undergraduate); 13,614 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $89,028
• Graduation Rate: 96%

Cornell University

Academic Highlights: A diverse array of academic programs includes 80 majors and 120 minors spread across the university’s seven schools/colleges. Classes are a bit larger at Cornell than at many other elite institutions. Still, 55% of sections have fewer than 20 students. Most degrees conferred in 2022 were in computer science (17%), engineering (13%), business (13%), and biology (13%). The SC Johnson College of Business houses two undergraduate schools, both of which have phenomenal reputations.

Professional Outcomes: Breaking down the graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, the largest school at Cornell, 68% entered the workforce, 28% entered graduate school, 1% pursued other endeavors such as travel or volunteer work, and the remaining 3% were still seeking employment six months after receiving their diplomas. The top sectors attracting campus-wide graduateswere financial services (18%), technology (17%), consulting (15%), and education (10%). Of the students from A&S going on to graduate school, 15% were pursuing JDs, 5% MDs, and 22% PhDs.

• Enrollment: 15,735
• Cost of Attendance: $88,150
• Median ACT: 34

Amherst College

• Amherst, MA

Academic Highlights: A 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio allows for 66% of courses to have fewer than twenty students and 32% to have single-digit enrollments. By senior year, 98% of seniors report feeling close enough to a faculty member to ask for a letter of recommendation. Amherst possesses strong offerings across the board, most notably in economics, English, history, mathematics, and law The social sciences account for 22% of degrees conferred, while 14% are in mathematics, 11% in biology, and 7% in computer science

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 93% of the Class of 2022 had already found its way into the world of employment, graduate school, or a volunteer organization.  The largest employers of Amherst grads includes Google, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs. The schools where the highest number of Amherst grads can be found pursuing advanced degrees include MIT, Dartmouth, and the University of Pennsylvania. Fifty to sixty Amherst grads apply to medical school each year, and the acceptance rate hovers around 75-80%.

• Enrollment: 1,898
• Cost of Attendance: $84,840
• Retention Rate: 95%
• Graduation Rate: 92%

University of Chicago

• Chicago, IL

Academic Highlights: There are 53 majors at UChicago, but close to half of all degrees conferred are in four majors: economics, biology, mathematics, and political science, all of which have particularly sterling reputations. Economics alone is the selection of roughly one-fifth of the undergraduate population. Over 75% of undergrad sections have an enrollment of nineteen or fewer students, and undergraduate research opportunities are ubiquitous as 80% of students end up working in a research capacity alongside a faculty member.

Professional Outcomes: On commencement day, 99% of the Class of 2023 were employed or continuing their education. Business and financial services (30%) and STEM (12%) were the two sectors that scooped up the most graduates, but public policy and consulting were also well-represented. The most popular employers of recent grads include Google, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, Bank of America, Citi, and Accenture. For those heading to grad school, the top seven destinations are Yale, Columbia, Penn, MIT, Stanford, UCLA, and Johns Hopkins.

• Enrollment: 7,653 (undergraduate); 10,870 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $89,040
• Acceptance Rate: 5%

Duke University

Academic Highlights: The academic offerings at Duke include 53 majors, 52 minors, and 23 interdisciplinary certificates. Class sizes are on the small side—71% are nineteen or fewer, and almost one-quarter are less than ten. A stellar 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio helps keep classes so reasonable even while catering to five figures worth of graduate students. Computer Science is the most popular area of concentration (11%), followed by economics (10%), public policy (9%), biology (8%), and computer engineering (7%).

Professional Outcomes: At graduation, approximately 70% of Duke diploma-earners enter the world of work, 20% continue into graduate schools, and 2% start their own businesses. The industries that attract the largest percentage of Blue Devils are tech (21%), finance (15%), business (15%), healthcare (9%), and science/research (6%). Of the 20% headed into graduate school, a hefty 22% are attending medical school, 18% are in PhD programs, and 12% are entering law school. The med school acceptance rate is 85%, more than twice the national average.

• Enrollment: 6,640
• Cost of Attendance: $85,238
• SAT Range: 1490-1570
• ACT Range: 34-35
• Acceptance Rate: 6%
• Graduation Rate: 97%

Haverford College

• Haverford, PA

Academic Highlights: Haverford offers 31 majors, 32 minors, 12 concentrations, and eleven consortium programs—areas of study that can be pursued at partner campuses. The school’s 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and exclusive emphasis on undergraduate education lead to exceptionally intimate classes, 33% of which have fewer than 10 students, and 72% have fewer than 20. The most popular areas of study at Haverford include the social sciences (24%), biology (14%), psychology (11%), physical sciences (10%), computer science (9%), and mathematics (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Six months after leaving Haverford, 63% of the Class of 2022 had found employment, 19% had enrolled in graduate school, and 9% were still job hunting. Employers hiring multiple recent Haverford grads include Epic, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Boston Consulting Group, Goldman Sachs, the National Institutes of Health, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Of the 19% of 2022 grads who elected to continue their education, the most commonly entered fields of study were STEM (51%) and medicine/health (15%).

• Enrollment: 1,421
• Cost of Attendance: $87,180
• Median SAT: 1490
• Acceptance Rate: 14%
• Graduation Rate: 91%

Princeton University

• Princeton, NJ

Academic Highlights: 39 majors are available at Princeton. Just under three-quarters of class sections have an enrollment of 19 or fewer students, and 31% have fewer than ten students. Princeton is known for its commitment to undergraduate teaching, and students consistently rate professors as accessible and helpful. The Engineering Department is widely recognized as one of the country’s best, as is the School of Public and International Affairs.

Professional Highlights: Over 95% of a typical Tiger class finds their next destination within six months of graduating. Large numbers of recent grads flock to the fields of business and engineering, health/science, & tech. Companies presently employing hundreds of Tiger alumni include Google, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, McKinsey & Company, Morgan Stanley, IBM, and Meta. The average salary ranges from $40k (education, health care, or social services) to $100k (computer/mathematical positions). Between 15-20% of graduating Tigers head directly to graduate/professional school.

• Enrollment: 5,604 (undergraduate); 3,238 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $86,700

University of California, San Diego

• San Diego, CA

Academic Highlights: There are 140+ undergraduate majors offered at UCSD, and all students join one of eight undergraduate colleges meant to forge flourishing communities within the larger university. Biology has the highest representation of all majors (19%) followed by engineering (12%), the social sciences (11%), and computer science (9%). UCSD’s computer science and engineering programs have stellar reputations in the corporate and tech communities, and programs in biology, economics, and political science are among the best anywhere.

Professional Outcomes: Employers of recent graduates included the Walt Disney Company, Tesla, NBC Universal, PwC, Northrop Grumman, and EY. More than 1,000 current Google employees are UC San Diego alumni, and Qualcomm, Amazon, and Apple all employ 500+ each. The median early career salary is $65,000 across all majors, placing the university in the top 10 public universities in the country. UCSD also fares well in measures of its return-on-investment potential.

• Enrollment: 33,096 (undergraduate); 8,386 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $31,830 (in-state); $64,404 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 25%
• Retention Rate: 93%
• Graduation Rate: 88%

Columbia University

• New York, NY

Academic Highlights: Columbia offers 100+ unique areas of undergraduate study as well as a number of pre-professional and accelerated graduate programs.  Class sizes at Columbia are reasonably small and the student-to-faculty ratio is favorable; however, in 2022, it was revealed that the university had been submitting faulty data in this area. It is presently believed that 58% of undergraduate courses enroll 19 or fewer students. The greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (22%), computer science (15%), engineering (14%), and biology (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Examining the most recent graduates from Columbia College and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering & Applied Science, 73% had found employment within six months, and 20% had entered graduate school. The median starting salary for graduates of Columbia College/Columbia Engineering is above $80,000. Many graduates get hired by the likes of Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Google, Citi, McKinsey, and Microsoft.

• Enrollment: 8,832
• Cost of Attendance: $89,587

Bowdoin College

• Brunswick, ME

Academic Highlights: Class sizes are small—64% contain fewer than twenty students—and 21% have fewer than ten students. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1. More than half of Bowdoin undergrads report interacting with a professor outside of regular class time at least once per week. The greatest percentage of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (30%), biology (13%), area/ethnic/gender studies (8%), computer science (7%), and mathematics (7%). Economics and government and legal studies are two of the more popular majors within the social sciences.

Professional Outcomes: An examination of three recent years’ worth of outcomes data reveals that one year after graduation, between 73 and 77% of recent grads have found full-time employment, and 15% have gone directly into graduate school. Of those entering graduate school, 48% were enrolled in master’s programs, 23% in PhD programs, 13% in law school, and 8% in med school. The top twenty graduate schools attended, by volume, in the last five years make an exclusive list including six Ivies along with Duke, MIT, Johns Hopkins, and Stanford.

• Enrollment: 1,915
• Cost of Attendance: $82,600
• Median SAT: 1510

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Chapel Hill, NC

Academic Highlights: Undergraduates can choose from 74 bachelor’s degree programs in a number of schools and colleges, the largest of which is the College of Arts & Sciences. 44% of classes have a student enrollment under 20. The social sciences (15%), biology (12%), media/journalism (9%), computer science (8%), and business (6%) are the areas in which the most degrees are conferred. The Kenan-Flager Business School is internationally renowned and requires separate admission. Other strong programs include those in chemistry, journalism, psychology, and political science.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after leaving Chapel Hill, 97% of 2022 grads had entered employment, military service, or graduate school. Among the for-profit companies that hire the most graduates are Wells Fargo, IBM, Cisco, Deloitte, EY, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, McKinsey & Company, and Goldman Sachs. In the nonprofit sector, a large number of alumni are employed by AmeriCorps, NIH, Teach for America, and the Peace Corps. The average starting salary is $70,619. 18% of 2022 grads enrolled directly in graduate/professional school.

• Enrollment: 20,210 (undergraduate); 11,739 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $27,036 (in-state); $60,040 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1450
• Median ACT: 32
• Acceptance Rate: 17%

University of California, Berkeley

• Berkeley, CA

Academic Highlights: More than 150 undergraduate majors and minors are available across six schools: the College of Letters and Science, the College of Chemistry, the College of Engineering, the College of Environmental Design, the College of Natural Resources, and the Haas School of Business. Many departments have top international reputations including computer science, engineering, chemistry, English, psychology, and economics. 22% of sections contain nine or fewer students, and over 55% of students assist faculty with a research project or complete a research methods course.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduating, 49% of Cal’s Class of 2022 had already secured employment, and 20% were headed to graduate school. Business is the most popular sector, attracting 62% of employed grads; next up are industrial (17%), education (8%), and nonprofit work (7%). The median starting salary was $86,459 across all majors. Thousands of alumni can be found in the offices of Google, Apple, and Meta, and 500+ Golden Bears are currently employed by Oracle, Amazon, and Microsoft. The school is the number one all-time producer of Peace Corps volunteers.

• Enrollment: 32,831 (undergraduate); 12,914 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $48,574 (in-state); $82,774 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 11%

Yale University

• New Haven, CT

Academic Highlights: Yale offers 80 majors, most of which require a one- to two-semester senior capstone experience. Undergraduate research is a staple, and over 70% of classes—of which there are over 2,000 to choose from—have an enrollment of fewer than 20 students, making Yale a perfect environment for teaching and learning. Among the top departments are biology, economics, global affairs, engineering, history, and computer science. The social sciences (26%), biology (11%), mathematics (8%), and computer science (8%) are the most popular areas of concentration.

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after graduating, 73% of the Yale Class of 2022 had entered the world of employment and 18% matriculated into graduate programs. Hundreds of Yale alums can be found at each of the world’s top companies including Google, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, Morgan Stanley, and Microsoft. The most common industries entered by the newly hired were finance (20%), research/education (16%), technology (14%), and consulting (12%). The mean starting salary for last year’s grads was $81,769 ($120k for CS majors). Nearly one-fifth of students immediately pursue graduate school.

• Enrollment: 6,590 (undergraduate); 5,344 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $87,705

Brown University

• Providence, RI

Academic Highlights: Students must choose one of 80+ “concentration programs,” but there are no required courses. Class sizes tend to be small—68% have fewer than twenty students—and 35% are comprised of nine or fewer students. Biology, economics, computer science, mathematics, and engineering are among the most popular areas of concentration at Brown; however, it is hard to distinguish any one program, because Brown possesses outstanding offerings across so many disciplines.

Professional Outcomes: Soon after receiving their Brown diplomas, 69% of graduates enter the world of employment. Companies employing the greatest number of Brown alums include Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, Amazon, Morgan Stanley, Apple, McKinsey & Company, and Bain & Company. The Class of 2022 saw 27% of graduates go directly into graduate/professional school. Right out of undergrad, Brown students boasted an exceptional 81% admission rate to med school and an 81% admission rate to law school.

• Enrollment: 7,639
• Cost of Attendance: $84,828
• Median SAT: 1530

Dartmouth College

• Hanover, NH

Academic Highlights: Dartmouth sports 60+ majors and a stunning breadth of course selections for an institution of its size. The learning environment at Dartmouth is extraordinarily intimate. Not only do 61% of course sections have under twenty students, but 18% have single-digit enrollments. The student-to-faculty ratio is an outstanding 7:1. Top programs offered by Big Green include biology, economics, neuroscience, and government. The social sciences are the most popular, accounting for 32% of degrees conferred, followed by computer science (10%), mathematics (9%), engineering (9%), and biology (7%).

Professional Outcomes: A great reputation along with a passionate alumni network that is 80,000 strong leads Dartmouth grads to successful transitions into graduate school and the world of work. Included in the top ten employers of Dartmouth grads are a number of investment banks including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bain & Company, Citibank, and Deutsche Bank. Right off the bat, 52% of graduates make more than $70,000 in salary. Those pursuing graduate degrees often flock to the likes of Harvard, Columbia, and Princeton.

• Enrollment: 4,458
• Cost of Attendance: $87,793

Pomona College

• Claremont, CA

Academic Highlights: There are 48 majors and minors to select from with the most popular being social sciences (23%), biology (13%), and computer science (12%). Majors in economics, international relations, chemistry, and mathematics receive especially high marks. More than 600 courses are on the menu at Pomona alone, but students can access any of the Claremont Consortium’s 2,700 courses. Pomona’s 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio leads to an average class size of only 15 students, and over 50% of the undergraduate population conduct research alongside a faculty member.

Professional Outcomes: 71% of the Class of 2022 were employed within six months of graduating. Overall, the largest number of alumni can be found at Google, Kaiser Permanente, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta. Recently, economics degree-earners have landed jobs at Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, or Accenture. Majors in the hard sciences frequently landed at top research laboratories and hospitals. Of the 21% of 2022 grads who were accepted directly into graduate school, the most frequently attended institutions included the University of Cambridge, Duke, Harvard, Caltech, UChicago, and Stanford.

• Enrollment: 1,761
• Cost of Attendance: $88,296

Carleton College

• Northfield, MN

Academic Highlights: Students work closely with their professors, and the college is routinely rated atop lists of best undergraduate teaching institutions. Small classes are the norm with the average being only sixteen students. It offers 33 majors, the most popular of which are within the disciplines of the social sciences (19%), the physical sciences (14%), biology (11%), computer science (11%), mathematics (10%), and psychology (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Target, Epic Systems, Google, Wells Fargo, and Amazon all employ large numbers of graduates. Carleton is a breeding ground for future scholars as a ridiculously high number of graduates go on to earn PhDs. In fact, by percentage, Carleton is one of the top five producers in the country of future PhDs. They produce an incredible number of doctoral degree holders in the areas of economics, math, political science, sociology, chemistry, physics, biology, and history.

• Enrollment: 2,034
• Cost of Attendance: $82,167

Davidson College

• Davidson, NC

Academic Highlights: With its small size, the impressive part of the college is the exceptional quality of its offerings, not the breadth of them, as only 37 majors are available. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1, which allows the college to ensure that 62% have fewer than twenty students and 24% have enrollments you can count on two hands. Overall, the average number of students per class is only 18. Top programs at Davidson include psychology, political science, chemistry, and English; biology is also quite popular, accounting for 12% of degrees conferred in 2022.

Professional Outcomes: Looking at the outcomes data for 2022 grads, 70% landed jobs within six months of graduation, 26% were enrolled in a graduate program, and 3% were still seeking employment. Of those who attended grad school, the highest number were in healthcare-related programs (including MDs), law school, and laboratory sciences. Significant numbers of students pursue advanced degrees at other Southern gems including Vanderbilt, Emory, Duke, Wake Forest, and UNC.

• Enrollment: 1,927
• Cost of Attendance: $76,450
• Median SAT: 1430
• Retention Rate: 94%

Northwestern University

• Evanston, IL

Academic Highlights : Northwestern is home to six undergraduate schools, including Medill, which is widely regarded as one of the country’s best journalism schools. The McCormick School of Engineering also achieves top rankings, along with programs in economics, social policy, and theatre. The social sciences account for the greatest number of degrees conferred (19%), followed by communications/journalism (13%), and engineering (11%). 45% of classes have nine or fewer students enrolled; 78% have fewer than twenty enrollees. 57% of recent grads had the chance to conduct undergraduate research.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 69% of the Class of 2022 had found employment and 27% were in graduate school. The four most popular professional fields were consulting (18%), engineering (18%), business/finance (16%), and communications/marketing/media (13%). Employers included the BBC, NBC News, The Washington Post , NPR, Boeing, Google, IBM, Deloitte, PepsiCo, Northrop Grumman, and Goldman Sachs. Across all majors, the average starting salary was $73k. Of those headed straight to graduate school, engineering, medicine, and business were the three most popular areas of concentration.

• Enrollment: 8,659 (undergraduate); 14,073 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $91,290

Emory University

• Atlanta, GA

Academic Highlights: This midsize university offers a diverse array of majors (80+) and minors (60+), and 30% of Emory students pursue more than one area of study. Over half of Emory’s student body works directly with a faculty member on academic research and 58% of courses have class sizes of under twenty students. Ultimately, the greatest number of students go on to earn degrees in the social sciences (15%), biology (14%), business (14%), health professions (12%), and mathematics (9%).

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after graduation, 66% of 2022 grads were already employed, and 96% had arrived at their next destination. The top employers of recent Emory grads include Deloitte, Epic, ScribeAmerica, Meta, Morgan Stanley, and Cloudmed. Graduates of the Goizueta Business School found strong starting salaries with an average of $81k.  In the last few years, multiple Emory grads/alums received acceptance letters from the following top law schools like Columbia, Berkeley, and Georgetown. Med school acceptances included Duke, Johns Hopkins, and Vanderbilt.

• Enrollment: 7,101
• Cost of Attendance: $83,702
• Graduation Rate: 90%

Grinnell College

• Grinnell, IA

Academic Highlights: Grinnell offers 42 areas of study and over 500 courses each semester. Thanks to a 9:1 student/faculty ratio and no competition from graduate students, 64% of classes have fewer than twenty students, and roughly one-quarter of sections have single-digit student enrollments. A top producer of PhDs in both the sciences and the social sciences, Grinnell has strong offerings in biology, chemistry, physics, economics, and history. The largest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences, foreign languages, biology, and computer science.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduation, 62% of Grinnell students head into the workforce, 26% to graduate school, 2% to postgraduate service, and 2% earned fellowships. Multiple recent grads accepted positions with JPMorgan, Epic, and Google. The mean salary of those employed was roughly $64,397. Close to 40% of those entering graduate school pursue PhDs or master’s degrees in the hard sciences, 8% head to law school, and 3% were bound for medical school; 88% of all applicants were accepted into their first or second choice program.

• Enrollment: 1,759
• Cost of Attendance: $82,890
• Median SAT: 1460

University of California, Santa Barbara

• Santa Barbara, CA

Academic Highlights: There are 90 undergraduate majors across three schools: the College of Letters and Science, the College of Engineering, and the College of Creative Studies. The social sciences are the most popular area of study, accounting for 27% of the total degrees conferred. Biology (10%), math (9%), and psychology (9%) are next in popularity. The school has highly regarded programs in communication, computer science, engineering, physics, environmental science, and the performing arts. More than half of sections contain fewer than 20 students, and 72% enroll 29 or fewer.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of earning their diplomas, 84% of grads had found employment. The most popular industries were science/research (16%), engineering/computer programming (14%), business (13%), finance/accounting (11%), and sales (10%). Top employers of recent grads include Google, EY, KPMG, Oracle, Amazon, IBM, and Adobe. Many alumni also can be found at Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and Salesforce. Two years after graduating, UCSB alumni make an average salary of $55k; more than half make $100k by mid-career.

• Enrollment: 23,460 (undergraduate); 2,961 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $41,289 (in-state); $73,863 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 28%
• Retention Rate: 92%
• Graduation Rate: 86%

University of Notre Dame

• Notre Dame, IN

Academic Highlights: 75 majors are offered across six undergraduate colleges: the School of Architecture, the College of Arts and Letters, the Mendoza School of Business (one of the country’s best business schools), the College of Engineering, the Keough School of Global Affairs, and the College of Science. In 2022, the most degrees were conferred in business (20%), the social sciences (18%), engineering (12%), and biology (8%). A solid 60% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students, and 15% have single-digit numbers. 75% of Notre Dame undergrads study abroad.

Professional Outcomes: 69% of 2022 grads directly entered the world of employment, with the most common industries being financial services (21%), consulting (17%), technology (12%), and health services (9%). Massive numbers of alumni can be found at Deloitte, EY, PwC, IBM, Accenture, Booz Allen Hamilton, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and McKinsey & Co. The median early-career salary was $76,000. Of the 20% of grads who went directly into their graduate/professional studies, 18% were pursuing medical degrees and 9% were studying law.

• Enrollment: 8,971 (undergraduate); 4,134 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $86,125
• Acceptance Rate: 13%

Rice University

• Houston, TX

Academic Highlights : Rice offers more than 50 majors across six broad disciplines: engineering, architecture, music, social science, humanities, and natural science. Programs in biology, biochemistry, cognitive science, and music are incredibly strong, while the School of Architecture and the George R. Brown School of Engineering are among the highest-ranking schools in their disciplines. One-third of computer science majors are female, almost twice the national average. Class sizes are ideally small with 66% containing fewer than 20 students and a median class size of only fourteen.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 88% of Rice grads have found careers or a graduate school home. Companies that employ many recent grads include Deloitte, Capital One, JP Morgan Chase, Google, and Microsoft. Over one hundred alumni are also current employees of companies such as Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Amazon, Accenture, and Meta. Across all majors, the average starting salary is $73k. One-third of graduates move directly into graduate or professional school, with Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, and Berkeley being the most popular destinations.

• Enrollment: 4,494 (undergraduate); 4,178 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $78,278
• Median SAT: 35

Washington University in St. Louis

• St. Louis, MO

Academic Highlights : WashU admits students into five schools, many of which offer nationally recognized programs: Arts & Sciences, the Olin School of Business, the School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, and the Art of Architecture programs housed within the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts. The most commonly conferred degrees are in engineering (13%), social sciences (13%), business (13%), biology (11%), and psychology (10%). 66% of classes have fewer than 20 students, and over one-quarter have single-digit enrollments. 65% double major or pursue a minor.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2022 sent 52% of grads into the workforce and 28% into graduate and professional schools. Companies employing the highest number of WashU grads feature sought-after employers such as Amazon, Bain, Boeing, Deloitte, Google, IBM, Goldman Sachs, and Microsoft. Of the employed members of the Class of 2022 who reported their starting salaries, 79% made more than $60k. The universities welcoming the largest number of Bears included the prestigious institutions of Caltech, Columbia, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Stanford.

• Enrollment: 8,132 (undergraduate); 8,880 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $83,760

University of Washington – Seattle

• Seattle, WA

Academic Highlights: 180+ undergraduate majors are offered across thirteen colleges/schools. Personal connections with professors abound as 55% of grads complete a faculty-mentored research project. The College of Engineering, which includes the College of Computer Science & Engineering, is one of the best in the nation; UW also boasts strong programs in everything from business to social work to environmental science. The most popular degrees are the social sciences (13%), biology (12%), computer science (11%), and business (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Within months of graduation, 73% of Class of 2022 grads were employed and 17% were continuing their education. The most popular employers of the Class of 2022 included Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, and KPMG. Across all living alumni, 6,000+ work for Microsoft, and 4000+ work for each of Boeing and Amazon. Of those headed to graduate/professional school, just over half remain in state, mostly at UW itself. Large numbers of 2022 grads also headed to Columbia, Johns Hopkins, and USC.

• Enrollment: 36,872 (undergraduate); 16,211 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $34,554 (in-state); $63,906 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1420
• Acceptance Rate: 48%
• Graduation Rate: 84%

University of Virginia

• Charlottesville, VA

Academic Highlights: Undergrads can study within one of seven colleges/schools, which all offer many small classes; 15% boast single-digit enrollment and 48% contain 19 or fewer students. The McIntire School of Commerce and the School of Engineering and Applied Science have glowing reputations. Other notable strengths include computer science, economics, and political philosophy, policy, and law. The most popular degree areas are liberal arts/general studies (22%), the social sciences (14%), engineering (11%), business/marketing (8%), and biology (7%).

Professional Outcomes:  Upon receiving their degree, 95% of the Class of 2022 immediately joined the workforce–with an average starting salary of $90k–or headed directly to graduate school. The most popular industries were internet & software, higher education, and management consulting. Capital One (85), Deloitte (46), Amazon (38), and Bain & Co. (26) scooped up the greatest number of 2022 grads. UVA itself was the most popular grad school destination followed by Columbia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Johns Hopkins.

• Enrollment: 17,496 (undergraduate); 8,653 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $39,494-49,874 (in-state); $78,214-90,378 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1470
• Acceptance Rate: 19%

University of Wisconsin – Madison

• Madison, WI

Academic Highlights: There are 230+ undergraduate majors offered across eight schools and colleges, including the top-ranked School of Business and College of Engineering as well as the College of Letters and Science, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and the Schools of Nursing, Education, Pharmacy, and Human Ecology. Undergrads can expect a mix of large and small classes, with 44% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. Business (18%), biology (12%), the social sciences (11%), and engineering (10%) are most popular.

Professional Outcomes: In a recent year, 46% of job-seeking grads graduated with an offer.  Top employers included UW-Madison, Epic, Kohl’s, Oracle, Deloitte, and UW Health. Across all graduating years, companies employing 250+ alumni include Google, Target, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, PwC, Accenture, and Meta. 28% of recent grads enrolled directly in graduate/professional school; the majority stayed at UW–Madison while others headed to Columbia, Northwestern, and Carnegie Mellon. The university is the top producer of Peace Corps volunteers.

• Enrollment: 37,230 (undergraduate); 12,656 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $28,916 (in-state); $58,912 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1440
• Median ACT: 30
• Acceptance Rate: 49%
• Graduation Rate: 89%

University of Michigan

• Ann Arbor, MI

Academic Highlights: There are 280+ undergraduate degree programs across fourteen schools and colleges, and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) enrolls the majority of students. The Ross School of Business offers highly rated programs in entrepreneurship, management, accounting, and finance. The College of Engineering is also one of the best in the country. By degrees conferred, engineering (15%), computer science (14%), and the social sciences (11%) are most popular. A solid 56% of classes have fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within three months of graduating, 89% of LSA grads are employed full-time or in graduate school, with healthcare, education, law, banking, research, nonprofit work, and consulting being the most popular sectors. Within three months, 99% of Ross grads are employed with a median salary of $90k. Top employers include Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, EY, Morgan Stanley, PwC, Deloitte, and Amazon.  Within six months, 96% of engineering grads are employed (average salary of $84k) or in grad school. General Motors, Ford, Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Meta employ the greatest number of alumni.

• Enrollment: 32,695 (undergraduate); 18,530 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $35,450 (in-state); $76,294 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 18%

University of California, Davis

Academic Highlights: UC Davis offers 100+ undergraduate majors across four schools: the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the College of Biological Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the College of Letters and Science. 50% engage in some type of research/creative project outside the classroom. The areas of study with the largest number of degrees awarded were biology, the social sciences, psychology, and engineering. Programs in engineering, computer science, and animal science are nationally renowned.

Professional Outcomes: Many recent grads found homes at Silicon Valley or other California-based employers. Corporations employing 200 or more Aggies include Genentech, Google, Apple, Cisco, Meta, Oracle, Amazon, Microsoft, Salesforce, and LinkedIn. Ten years out of school, median earnings rise to $112k. Within one year of graduating, 39% of Aggies elect to continue their education; the most popular degrees pursued are master’s, MDs or other health doctorates, law, and MBA/MPA.

• Enrollment: 31,797 (undergraduate); 9,053 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $41,389 (in-state); $73,963 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 42%
• Graduation Rate: 87%

Tufts University

• Medford, MA

Academic Highlights: Three schools serve Tufts’ undergraduate population: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. The three schools combined offer more than 90 majors and minors; approximately one-third of all students double major, and half declare a minor. 15% of all courses see fewer than ten students enrolled, and 60% have sub-twenty enrollments. The most popular majors include international relations, economics, computer science, political science, and biology—all of which receive very high marks.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after earning their diplomas, 97% of 2022 graduates were employed or attending graduate school. The most commonly entered fields were finance, consulting, real estate (23%); engineering and technology (22%); health, life sciences, environmental (21%); and education, advocacy, social services (11%). Prolific employers of Tufts alums include Booz Allen Hamilton, JPMorgan, MITRE, Google, Deloitte, Amazon, Raytheon, Morgan Stanley, and BlackRock. Of the 21% of 2022 grads who went directly to graduate school, 85% were accepted into their first-choice institution.

• Enrollment: 6,815 (undergraduate); 6,616 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $88,300
• Acceptance Rate: 10%

Macalester College

• St. Paul, MN

Academic Highlights: Students can choose from roughly 40 majors and over 800 courses that are offered each academic year . Being an undergraduate-only institution, Macalester students enjoy the full benefits of the school’s 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The average class size is only 17 students, and 14% of class sections have single-digit enrollments. Macalester possesses strong offerings across many different disciplines. Programs in economics, international studies, and mathematics are among the best anywhere.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 95% of the Macalester Class of 2022 had found employment, graduate school, or a fellowship. Employers of recent grads include ABC News, Google, Goldman Sachs, Dow Chemical Company, McKinsey & Company, the ACLU, the National Cancer Institute, and National Geographic . Across all sectors, the average starting salary for recent grads was above $62k. Sixty percent of Mac grads pursue an advanced degree within six years of earning their bachelor’s.

• Enrollment: 2,175
• Cost of Attendance: $79,890
• Retention Rate: 88%

Vanderbilt University

• Nashville, TN

Academic Highlights: Four of Vandy’s ten schools cater to undergrads: the College of Arts and Sciences, the Blair School of Music, the Peabody College of Education and Human Development, and the School of Engineering. In the 2022-23 school year, 87% of course sections contained 19 or fewer students. Of the 70 undergraduate majors, economics, politics and government, and neuroscience are the most popular. The School of Engineering has a strong national reputation as do offerings in biology, economics, education, and music.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 96% of the Class of 2021 were employed or in graduate school. The most commonly entered industry was finance followed by technology, consulting, education, and engineering. Alumni can be found in droves at Capital One, Goldman Sachs, Bain & Company, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, and Meta. Among 2022 alumni who directly pursued advanced degrees, the majority enrolled at Vanderbilt followed by Columbia, Harvard, Penn, NYU, and Northwestern.

• Enrollment: 7,151 (undergraduate); 6,559 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $89,590

University of Pittsburgh

• Pittsburgh, PA

Academic Highlights: Pitt admits freshmen to the Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences, the College of Business Administration, the Swanson School of Engineering, and the School of Nursing. Pitt’s engineering and business schools are top-rated and among the most commonly chosen fields of study. Premed offerings are also top-notch, with majors in the health professions (12%), biology (11%), psychology (9%), and computer science (9%) rounding out the list of most popular majors. Pitt has a strong 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio; 42% of sections have an enrollment of under twenty students.

Professional Outcomes: Within a few months of graduating, 94% of 2022 grads entered full-time employment or full-time graduate or professional school. Engineering, nursing, business, and information sciences majors had 73-86% employment rates while other majors tended to flock to graduate school in large numbers. Employers scooping up the highest number of grads in one recent year included the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (170), PNC (57), BNY Mellon (36), and Deloitte (19). Median starting salaries fluctuated between $37k-65k depending on major.

• Enrollment: 20,220 (undergraduate); 9,268 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $38,034-$43,254 (in-state); $56,400-$66,840 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1360
• Median ACT: 31
• Acceptance Rate: 50%

Reed College

• Portland, OR

Academic Highlights: Twenty-six academic departments collectively offer 38 majors, 13 of which are interdisciplinary. English, math, and physics receive particularly strong praise. The educational experience is highly personalized, and to ensure that the emphasis in the classroom remains on learning for learning’s sake, grades are issued but not shared with students until graduation. The areas in which the highest number of degrees are conferred are the social sciences (22%), biology (11%), the health professions (9%), and the physical sciences (7%).

Professional Outcomes: An examination of Reed’s alumni database reveals that the three most common occupational pathways are business (28%), education (25%), and self-employment (19%). Included among the most frequent current employers are Microsoft Corporation, Kaiser Permanente, Portland Public Schools, Intel Corporation, the US Department of State, National Institutes of Health, and Apple. An incredible amount of Reedies continue their education; Reed was the No. 6 producer of future PhD holders across all academic disciplines.

• Enrollment: 1,523 (undergraduate); 11 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $86,040
• Median SAT: 1410
• Acceptance Rate: 31%
• Retention Rate: 86%
• Graduation Rate: 80%

University of Rochester

• Rochester, NY

Academic Highlights: U of R’s 160 undergraduate programs offer a rigorous yet flexible educational experience at a small liberal arts college within a renowned research institution. 66% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and an impressive 77% of students are involved in undergraduate research. The Eastman School of Music is one of the best music conservatories in the United States, and the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences is a top 50 institution. Other strong majors include mathematics, economics, and political science.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after receiving their diplomas, 97% of Class of 2022 grads had achieved positive outcomes with 57% employed and a notably high 38% already pursuing an advanced degree. Popular industries included internet and software (14%), healthcare (14%), and investment banking (6%). Top employers of 2022 grads included Google, Goldman Sachs, Epic Systems, and Deloitte. The average starting salary for the most recent cohort of grads was an impressive $82,325; that figure was over $105k for graduates of the Hajim School of Engineering.

• Enrollment: 6,767 (undergraduate); 5,430 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $85,858
• Acceptance Rate: 39%

Brandeis University

• Waltham, MA

Academic Highlights: Brandeis offers 43 majors, the most popular of which are in the social sciences (18%), biology (17%), business (10%), psychology (8%), public administration (8%), and computer science (7%). The student-faculty ratio is 11:1, and 60% of courses contain nineteen or fewer students. Departments with a particularly strong national reputation include economics, international studies, and sociology as well as all of the traditional premed pathways including biology, and chemistry.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 98% of the Class of 2022 had found their way to employment (59%), graduate school (35%), or another full-time activity like travel or volunteer work (4%). Members of the Class of 2022 were hired by Red Hat, Deloitte, Nasdaq, NPR, and McKinsey & Company. The average starting salary for recent grads is $61k. A large contingent of grads elects to continue at Brandeis for graduate school. Many others go to BU, Columbia, Duke, Harvard, and Yale.

• Enrollment: 3,687
• Cost of Attendance: $86,242
• Retention Rate: 91%

Georgetown University

• Washington, D.C.

Academic Highlights: The student-faculty ratio is 11:1, and 60% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students. While some classes are a bit larger, only 7% cross the 50-student threshold. Those desiring to join the world of politics or diplomacy are in the right place. The Government and International Affairs programs are among the best in the country. The greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (38%) followed by business (20%), interdisciplinary studies (8%), and biology (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 75% of members of the Class of 2022 entered the workforce, 19% went directly into a graduate or professional program of study, and 3% were still seeking employment. The Class of 2022 sent massive numbers of graduates to a number of major corporations including JPMorgan Chase (22), Citi (21), BOA (18), Morgan Stanley (16), and EY (10). Those attending grad school stay at Georgetown or flock to other elite schools like Columbia and Harvard.

• Enrollment: 7,900
• Cost of Attendance: $85,000
• Acceptance Rate: 12%

College of William & Mary

• Williamsburg, VA

Academic Highlights: Forty undergraduate programs are available and William & Mary has a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Class sizes are rarely tiny seminars, but 44% do enroll fewer than twenty students, and only 9% contain more than fifty. Among the college’s most notable academic programs are (1) government and (2) international relations, both of which serve as pipelines to Washington, DC, employers. The Mason School of Business is highly regarded in the corporate world. The social sciences (20%) and biology (11%) are also popular.

Professional Outcomes: 52% of the most cohort joined the workforce, and 36% entered graduate school within six months of graduation. Over 500 employers snatched up at least one member of the Tribe. Companies hiring at least four 2020 grads included Accenture, Booz Allen Hamilton, KPMG, and Deloitte. Many of those opting for immediate entry into graduate school stayed at their alma mater and the next most frequented universities included Columbia, Duke, Harvard, Northwestern, and the University of Chicago.

• Enrollment: 6,797
• Cost of Attendance: $39,595 (In-State); $63,967 (Out-of-State)
• Acceptance Rate: 33%

University of Southern California

Academic Highlights : There are 140 undergraduate majors and minors within the Dornsife College of Arts & Sciences alone, the university’s oldest and largest school. The Marshall School of Business, Viterbi School of Engineering, and programs in communication, the cinematic arts, and the performing arts are highly acclaimed. Popular areas of study are business (22%), social sciences (11%), visual and performing arts (11%), communications/journalism (9%), and engineering (8%). Most courses enroll 10-19 students, and USC does an excellent job facilitating undergraduate research opportunities.

Professional Outcomes: 96% of undergrads experience positive postgraduation outcomes within six months of earning their degree. The top five industries entered were finance, consulting, advertising, software development, and engineering; the median salary across all majors is an astounding $79k. Presently, between 300 and 1,500 alumni are employed at each of Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, KPMG, Goldman Sachs, and Meta. Graduate/professional schools enrolling the greatest number of 2022 USC grads include NYU, Georgetown, Harvard, Stanford, Pepperdine, and UCLA.

• Enrollment: 20,699 (undergraduate); 28,246 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $90,921

Case Western Reserve University

• Cleveland, OH

Academic Highlights: Sporting a 9:1 faculty-to-student ratio, the university does a nice job keeping classes on the small side, with 50% of course sections capped at nineteen and only 13% of courses having fifty students or more. The Weatherhead School of Management and the Case School of Engineering have stellar reputations within the worlds of employment and academia. Engineering is the most commonly conferred undergraduate degree at 27% followed by biology (15%), computer science (10%), and health professions (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Fifty-six percent of 2022 CWRU graduates head into the world of professional employment upon receiving their diplomas; only 3% were still looking for work six months after leaving the university. More than half of the Class of 2022 enjoyed a starting salary of at least $65,000. The employers of the greatest number of graduates included Accenture, Microsoft, Deloitte, and Google. In 2022, four or more grads were accepted to continue their studies at the likes of NYU, Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, WashU, and the University of Michigan.

• Enrollment: 6,017
• Cost of Attendance: $88,516
• Median SAT: 1480
• Acceptance Rate: 27%

University of California, Irvine

Academic Highlights: UCI offers eighty undergrad programs as well as many opportunities for personal connection; 56% of all sections enroll 19 or fewer students and over 60% of students conduct a research project. The most commonly conferred degrees are the social sciences (16%), business (12%), psychology (11%), and biology (9%). The Samueli School of Engineering has a solid reputation as does the Bren School, the only independent computer science school in the UC system. Programs in public health and biological sciences earn very high marks.

Professional Outcomes: Accounting, aerospace, internet and software, K-12 education, real estate, and retail are among the industries attracting the greatest number of Anteaters. Companies employing large numbers of recent grads include Boeing, the Walt Disney Company, Google, EY, and Microsoft. Hundreds of alumni are also found at Kaiser Permanente, Meta, Apple, Edwards Lifesciences, and Deloitte. The median salary is $69,000, with CS grads earning close to $120k right off the bat. UCI has a very strong reputation for premed.

• Enrollment: 28,661 (undergraduate); 7,275 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $40,202 (in-state); $72,776 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 26%

We hope you have found our list of the Best Colleges for Biology to be useful and informative as you continue your college search process. We also invite you to check out some of our other resources and tools including:

• AP Score Calculators 
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• Best Summer Programs 
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• Best Colleges by Major

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

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Molecular and Cell Biology

Spring 2024: New and Noteworthy: Postdocs and Students

Graduate students.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Recipients:

Alex Maya-Romero (Zoncu Lab), Camila Sousa (Brar Lab), Cynthia Terrace (Savage Lab). Honorable Mention: Simon Chau (Martik Lab), Anna Freitas (Ingolia Lab), Sophia Swartz (Doudna Lab), Aditya Udupa (Staller Lab).

2023–2024 Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor (OGSI) Award Recipients: 

Sophia Adler (Nayak Lab), Dominik Aylard (Robey Lab), Janet Babirye (Vance Lab), Anna Christenson (Nuñez Lab), Lana Ho (Fu Lab), Michael Hsiao (Gomez Lab), Jan Mikhale Cajulao (Bilder Lab), Zehan Zhou (Doudna Lab).

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

MCB Class of 2023 Sponsored Research Award Recipients:

Viktoriya Georgieva (Savage Lab), Meralda Jeong (Refermat Lab, IGI), Tiffany Lei (DenBesten Lab, UCSF), Natalie Liang (Raulet Lab), and Phyllis Tameilau (Weiner Lab, Psychology).

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